An Indian Air Force HAL Tejas light combat aircraft crashed on Friday during a flying display on the final day of the Dubai Airshow, killing the pilot and sending a fireball and thick black smoke over Al Maktoum International Airport.
Witnesses said the single-engine jet appeared to lose control shortly after takeoff, nosed over, and plunged straight into the ground in front of grandstands filled with spectators.
Video: viewer discretion advised
Better video showing the full turn sequence that caused the Indian Air Force HAL Tejas to crash today at the Dubai Air Show 2025. Seems like the pilot did not correctly calculate altitude or orientation while performing the last turn, resulting in a pull-up too close to ground: pic.twitter.com/oo2SXR01YM
— The STRATCOM Bureau (@OSPSF) November 21, 2025
“The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident,” the Indian Air Force said in a statement, per the Associated Press. “IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.”
The air force added that “a court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
Dubai authorities confirmed the pilot’s death.
“Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site,” the Dubai Media Office posted on X.
Emergency vehicles and a helicopter quickly reached the wreckage, spraying foam on the burning remains. An SUV with Indian diplomatic plates and an Indian flag was seen among the responders.
Flight demonstrations resumed roughly 30 minutes later, with the Russian Knights aerobatic team performing overhead while cleanup continued at the crash site.
Friday’s accident marks the second Tejas crash in less than two years. A previous incident in Rajasthan, India, in 2024 ended with the pilot ejecting safely.
The Tejas, developed by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and powered by General Electric engines, is India’s first domestically designed and produced fighter jet. It is intended to replace aging Russian-built aircraft in the Indian fleet.
India signed contracts for 83 Tejas jets in 2021 and an additional 97 in September. Engine supply issues have delayed deliveries of the earlier order, while the newer aircraft are scheduled to begin arriving in 2027.
One day before the crash, India’s Press Information Bureau rejected social media claims of an oil leak on a Tejas on static display at the show, describing the footage as “routine, intentional draining of condensed water” in Dubai’s humid conditions and labeling the reports “false.”
The Dubai Airshow, the Middle East’s largest aviation exhibition, has not previously recorded a fatal crash during its flying displays.