A Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Bison fighter jet belonging to the Indian Air Force crashed near Suratgarh, Rajasthan state, in the evening of January 5, 2021.
According to the IAF, the aircraft was performing a training sortie. The crash occurred on landing, the pilot successfully ejected, and there was no damage to ground structures.
During a training sortie in the western sector, a MiG-21 Bison aircraft experienced a major technical malfunction this evening. The pilot ejected safely at about 2015 hrs. There is no loss of life. An Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) January 5, 2021
According to Indian media, the technical malfunction occurred during the sortie, but the pilot still tried to land the airplane. A court inquiry has been ordered to find out the cause of the crash.
Soviet-made MiG-21 fighter jet has served with Indian Air Force since the late 60s, and is currently being phased out. Most of Indian MiG-21s are of Bison variant and feature upgraded radar, avionics and weapon systems.