 "An undated photograph showing a Pilatus aircraft. (Photo: Pilatus)")
A trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed on Friday near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
However, the pilot ejected safely, the Air Force said in a statement.
“One PC-7 Pilatus basic trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force on a routine training mission crashed near Tambram, Chennai. Pilot safely ejected. A Court of Inquiry to ascertain the cause has been ordered,” ANI reported the Indian Air Force as saying in a statement.
The PC-7 is intended to prepare military pilots for a variety of roles ranging from flying a jet aircraft to a multi-engine fixed-wing aircraft or a helicopter, according to its manufacturer.
The aeroplane’s Swiss manufacturer, Pilatus, has stated on its website that PC-7’s MKX variant is the only training aircraft in its class equipped with the famous Martin-Baker ejection seats and the world-proven Pratt & Whitney Canada engine.
The good-natured handling of the PC-7 MKX ensures safe operation at all times, even in the hands of a beginner, the website states.
Numerous countries other than India use the company’s aeroplanes, such as Austria, France, and the Netherlands.