DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A tragic accident occurred on November 21, 2025, when an Indian Air Force HAL Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, resulting in the death of the pilot.
Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft lost control while flying at low altitude over Al Maktoum International Airport, before diving sharply and exploding into a fireball upon impact. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky just moments after the crash, as emergency vehicles rushed to extinguish the blaze.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) issued a statement confirming that the pilot “sustained fatal injuries” and expressed deep sorrow for the loss, while also announcing the formation of a court of inquiry to investigate the circumstances of the crash.
Authorities later identified the pilot as Wing Commander Namansh Syal, a 37-year-old officer from Himachal Pradesh. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft was executing a negative-G turn at very low altitude — a maneuver that may have prevented recovery, leading to the fatal crash.
The IAF emphasized that while causes are still under investigation, factors such as technical malfunction, pilot error, or loss of control are all being considered.
The Dubai Air Show was temporarily suspended following the incident but later resumed after about an hour once the scene was secured.
The crash casts a grim shadow over India’s Tejas program — this marks only the second recorded accident involving the jet, but the first with a fatal outcome.
Witnesses described the jet as appearing to lose control just before the crash, although the precise cause remains uncertain. Investigators are now examining whether a technical malfunction, pilot error, or unusual flight conditions during the display contributed to the accident.
