A Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter plane crashed near Shirasgaon village of Niphad tehsil in Nashik at around 1.20 pm on Tuesday, said police, adding the pilot and co-pilot ejected safely.
The fighter jet was being flown by Wing Commander Bokil along with the co-pilot (who was not identified by police) when it crashed.
Special inspector general of Nashik Range D R Karale said, “They have been taken to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) hospital for further treatment for minor injuries.”
After it crashed, the aircraft caught fire which was extinguished while some parts of the plane were scattered over a 500-metre radius. Teams of Indian Air Force and HAL’s security and technical wings visited the spot.
The exact cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained while preliminary information points to technical factors, an HAL spokesperson said.
The aircraft was undergoing flight testing post-overhaul and was under HAL’s inventory for overhaul and testing purposes. After overhauling and testing, the aircraft is handed back to IAF for operations.