2 pilots, 1 civilian killed in Hyderabad air crash

An Indian Navy plane performing aerobatics at an air show crashed into a three-storeyed residential building in a crowded area on Wednesday killing its two pilots and one person on the ground.

The Navy has grounded the entire fleet of 20 Kiran trainer aircraft following the crash, a Navy statement said.

The Kiran MK II trainer — part of the four-plane ‘Sagar Pawan’ aerobatic team — failed to pull up from a dive, went out of control into a spiral and hit the building as the planes were breaking away from the formation and going in different directions in a tragic start to airshow India Aviation 2010.

The Navy statement said besides Commander S.K. Maurya and Lt Commander Rahul Nair, one unidentified civilian has died. Two civilians were injured, police said.

Eyewitnesses said the plane suddenly plummeted, followed by a loud explosion and a huge mushroom shaped cloud of smoke.

The crash occured within 15 minutes of the start of the show.

They said the plane crashed into a mobile phone tower atop the building bringing down the tower and the water tank.

“It was spiralling and then it crashed”, said Loth Mallaiah, who lives on the ground floor of the building which was severely damaged.

Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said the pilots could not eject. Some eyewitnesses however reported seeing one pilot trying to jump out.

“The aircraft went out of control. But the cause of the crash was not immediately known,” Admiral Verma told reporters in shortly after the crash at New Bowenpally area, about four kms from the Old Begumpet Airport. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident, he said.

“The possibility (of not ejecting) is either timewise there was a problem or they (the pilots) were making all efforts to ensure that damage is minimised to any civil area.”

The week-long event will continue as scheduled, Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel said.

Air Crash Will Not Affect Hyderabad Air Show: Minister

Terming the crash of a naval aircraft here during an international civil aviation exhibition as ‘unfortunate’, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel Wednesday said the tragedy will not affect the event in any way.


‘These kinds of mishaps have happened during such events in the past the world over. It is very unfortunate but I don’t think this (aircraft crash) will any way hamper or effect the event,’ the minister told IANS.

According to a civil aviation ministry official, there were five such crashes during air shows in the world last year. Similarly there were four such crashes during air shows in 2008 and seven in 2007.

An Indian Navy trainer aircraft crashed into a two-storied building in a congested locality during an air show here Wednesday, killing the pilot and his co-pilot who found no time to eject.

Commander S.K. Maurya and Lt Commander Rahul Nair were killed when the HJT-16 Kiran Mk2 trainer, built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, crashed in Bowenpally locality near the old Begumpet Airport in the city.

2 pilots killed, 4 civilians injured in Hyderabad airshow crash

A Kiran aircraft of the Sagar Pawan Aerobatic Demonstration team of the Indian Navy's aviation arm, participating in an aerobatic display in the Begumpet airport crashed into a building in the Bowenpally locality on Wednesday morning.

According to Chittem Lakshmi, Revenue Divisional Officer of Secunderabad, one of the pilots of the aircraft died on impact. The other reportedly tried to eject to safety. His body was found near the crash site, with the parachute still intact. Four civilians, living in the building into which the aircraft crashed, have been hospitalised. They are in a critical condition.

Eye-witnesses said the HJT-16 Kiran MK.2 trainer aircraft, part of a team of four, spiralled out of control as thousands of horrified spectators watched. The plane crashed into a building near Arya Samaj in New Bowenpally, in the northern part of the city. Thick plumes of smoke could be seen billowing out of the building.

Aircraft crashes into cell phone tower

The plane crashed into a cell phone tower atop the two-storied building bringing down the tower and the water tank. A maruti van parked adjacent to the building was totally crushed by falling debris. A house adjacent this building was also damaged.

Eye witnesses said the aircraft rammed into the cell phone tower and erupted in flames. They recalled seeing one of the pilots bailing out. Police and Defense authorities have taken over the crash site.

Zeenat, a middle aged home-maker who resides in a portion on the second floor of the building was out along with her son when the aircraft crashed into the building. Unsure whether her husband had left for work, she repeatedly attempted to call him. There has been no response and she fears he might have stayed home when the plane crashed.

The building has nearly ten portions, let out by the owner Loth Mallaiah, who lives on the ground floor.

V. Rishi, a final year MCA student told The Hindu he was watching the aerobatic display and noticed that "one of the planes broke away from the formation". "It was spiraling and then it crashed”, a shocked Rishi recalled.

The aerobatic show was to mark the inauguration of India Aviation 2010, the second edition of the international civil aviation exhibition and conference at Begumpet. More than 190 companies including Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Beechcraft, Air Bus and Bell are participating in the five-day event.

Hyderabad had hosted the first edition of the exhibition in 2008.