Dubai Air Show attendee captured the moment the Tejas fighter jet crashed during a flying demonstration, bursting into a ball of flames, sending up a plume of thick black smoke. The crowd at the Al Maktoum International Airport, who had gathered to witness the air show, is seen jumping out of their seats to look at the crash and capture it on their mobile phones.
Abu Bakr, a real estate advisor, had gone to attend the Dubai Air show because of his interest in it. One of the videos captured by Bakr shows the final moments of the Tejas aircraft before it crashed.
A single-seat Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter jet was executing a negative G turn before it slammed the ground. The aircraft transitioned from a negative G manoeuvre into a roll, which is another aerobatic display manoeuvre. However, it was flying at a very low attitude at this stage, and the roll appears to not have been a snap or quick roll that could have enabled the aircraft to enter horizontal flight.
The aircraft seems to have lost some altitude during the manoeuvre. By the time the aircraft was able to get wings level after completing the barrel roll, the vertical speed of the aircraft (the rate of the speed at which it was descending) was too high, and the aircraft crashed and smashed into the ground.
"The jet started to go lower and lower. We thought the pilot would pull up the jet, but it crashed on the spot," Bakr said recalling the incident.
The plane went down at around 2:10 pm local time, according to eyewitnesses and videos sourced by NDTV.
Onlookers were left in shock, it was unbelievable, Bark said.
The pictures and videos shared by the attendee show the fighter jet engulfed in flames and then covered in clouds of thick black smoke.
In close-up shots, the jet is seen descending and then lying on the ground in flames. Post crash images show the wreckage - charred, mangled remains of the crashed jet.
Post crash images show the remains of the crashed Tejas fighter jet.
What Is Negative G Manoeuvre
Negative G in aviation refers to forces acting on an aircraft and its contents in the opposite direction of normal gravity. These forces are typically experienced during aerobatic manoeuvres, sudden descent, or severe turbulence.
If not properly managed, negative G can lead to disorientation or loss of consciousness due to blood pooling in the head. Pilots undergo specific training to manage and mitigate the effects of negative G forces during flight operations.
Wing Commander Namansh Syal Died In Dubai Tejas Crash
Wing Commander Namansh Syal, the Indian Air Force pilot, died in the Tejas fighter jet crash. The 34-year-old pilot was a native of Patiyalkar village in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. He is survived by his wife, also an IAF officer, their six-year-old daughter and his parents.
Syal completed his schooling at Sainik School, Sujanpur Tira, in Hamirpur district, as reported by the news agency PTI.
His father, Jagarnath Syal, too served in the Indian Army before working as a principal in the education department, the news agency ANI reported.
