'Routine maintenance check' for over 30 of IAF's Tejas aircrafts days after accident that left pilot injured

New Delhi: Over 30 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft of the Indian Air Force have been put under “routine maintenance check” following a recent accident that led to an injury of the pilot, sources said here on Monday.

The IAF and the aircraft’s manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited are carrying out the “root cause analysis” and subsequent actions would be taken based on the analysis.

This is the second accident of the indigenous combat jet in recent months, even though its manufacturer HAL downplayed the incident.

Asked about grounding of the fleet following the accident, sources refused to comment. The IAF currently operates two squadrons of the first generation Tejas LCA.

The accident happened earlier this month at a forward base where the Tejas LCA was undertaking training sorties. The accident is suspected to be due to problems in the braking system, but there have been no official words from the IAF and HAL.

In a brief statement, the manufacturer said there has been no reported crash of the LCA Tejas and the event in question was a “minor technical incident on ground”.

“LCA Tejas maintains one of the world’s best safety records among contemporary fighter aircraft. As a standard operating procedure, the issue is being analysed in depth and HAL is working closely with the IAF for a speedy resolution,” it said.

The accident happened within a few months of the home-grown combat aircraft crashing in a ball of fire at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai in November killing the pilot Wing Commander Namansh Syal in front of an audience.

The first Tejas crash happened in March 2024 near Jaisalmer, but fortunately the pilot managed to eject safely.

HAL has so far supplied 38 first generation Tejas LCA so far and delivery of more advanced Tejas LCA Mk-1A is yet to begin.