An Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot was killed on Wednesday when a trainer jet he was flying crashed near Air Force Station, Bidar, about 670 km north of Bangalore.
Wing Commander R.S. Dhaliwal, 34, was part of IAF's Surya Kiran aerobatics team when the aircraft crashed. This is for the second time that an aircraft belonging to the aerobatics team crashed in the last three years near Bidar.
An IAF spokesperson said Kiran Mk II trainer aircraft crashed twelve minutes after take off. The Air Headquarters’ has ordered an inquiry. IAF sources said the plane could have hit a bird. An experienced pilot with more than 1,000 hours of flying to his credit, Wing Commander Dhaliwal had joined the aerobatics team recently. His body has been flown to Patiala for last rites.