New Delhi, Feb 16
A MiG-27 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in West Bengal Tuesday, defence ministry officials said. The pilot was killed in the accident.
The fighter plane crashed as it was taking off from the Hashimara air force base at 2.50 p.m. The pilot, Wing Commander Aswal, was killed.
The IAF lost two of its Russian-made MiG-27s in crashes last year.
In May 2009, a MiG-27 crashed at Jodhpur, and in October, another MiG-27 crashed near New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. In both cases, the pilots ejected safely.