New Delhi (India) February 22:Another Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) from the Indian Air Force (IAF) was lost in an accident, which led to investigations and technical checks sweeping across the fleet. The plane has serious airframe damage and may need to be written off. The pilot, though, ejected safely and avoided serious injury. 

Brake Failure Suspected in Latest Mishap

The incident happened early in a critical air base operational area earlier this month, when the fighter jet was en route to land after a routine training sortie, sources said. Intriguing initial analysis suggested that a possible technical mistake or malfunction might have occurred onboard systems.
A suspected brake failure on a Tejas fighter that had landed at a forward base resulted in the plane veering off the runway into a ditch. The pilot of the single seater aircraft was safe but was injured in the accident. Information from the defence and security establishment said the accident was on 7 February at a forward base. 

HAL Faces Heat Over Mk1A Production Lag

The most recent accident occurred in the context of the Tejas Mk1A programme being under-delivered, with delivery nearly two years late despite IAF orders for 180 Mk1A fighters.
HAL reportedly does not meet multiple due dates of delivery of the upgraded Mk1A jets. The delays have alarmed defence officials, particularly as the IAF seeks to modernise its fleet in line with new security challenges. 

Production Status and Expert Analysis

Production schedules are still closely watched. Industry experts say supply chain troubles and technical integration challenges could have prevented widespread rollout of the next generation variant.
The IAF issued no official information on the latest event to date. More details remain to be forthcoming as investigators look at the wreckage and flight data to find out what might be a sequence of events that caused the disaster. 

Past Crashes: Jaisalmer and Dubai Airshow

This is the third Tejas aircraft to be lost since induction. The fighter jet faced its first crash near Jaisalmer in March 2023 when the aircraft crashed as it approached from a firepower demonstration. Pilot ejects successfully.
A Tejas fighter plane crashed in the United Arab Emirates in November of last year while participating in the Dubai Airshow. Wing Commander Namansh Syal, the aircraft’s captain, subsequently died in the crash when he was injured.