MIG-21 crashes in Rajasthan

An IAF Mig-21 aircraft crashed in the precincts of Nal airbase near Bikaner in Rajasthan at around midday Tuesday killing the pilot, officials said. The aircraft lost contact with ground control minutes after taking off from the Naal air base. Meanwhile, a team of Indian Air Force has been dispatched to the incident site and a inquiry has been orderded to probe the cause of the crash. The MiG-21 was of Type-75, which are in the process of being phased out by the Air Force.
This is the second crash of a MiG series fighter aircraft this year. On February 4, an IAF MiG-21 'Bison' fighter plane had crashed apparently due to an engine problem while on a routine sortie in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district but the pilot had ejected safely. In 2010, a total of 10 IAF aircraft crashes took place including four MiG-27 and two MiG-21 planes.