The exact cause of the Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crash in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district has not yet been made public, with the IAF confirming that a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the accident that killed two pilots.
The aircraft was on a routine training mission on March 5, 2026, after taking off from Jorhat Air Force Station (Rowriah AFS) in the evening. The jet reportedly lost radar contact around 7:42 PM IST before crashing in a hilly and densely forested region about 60 km from Jorhat. Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion before wreckage was located by search teams.
The Indian Air Force later confirmed that the pilots Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar sustained fatal injuries in the crash and were unable to eject.
Cause of crash under investigation
Officials have not yet revealed the reason behind the crash. However, a Court of Inquiry will examine several possible factors that could have led to the accident. These typically include technical malfunction, operational or human factors, and environmental conditions such as terrain or weather.
Until the investigation concludes, the exact sequence of events that caused the aircraft to crash remains unknown.
Su-30MKI: Backbone of the IAF fleet
The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, known by NATO as the Flanker-H, is one of the most advanced aircraft in the Indian Air Force’s fleet. It is a twin-engine, two-seat multirole fighter jet designed for air superiority, strike missions and long-range operations.
India operates around 260 Su-30MKI aircraft, making it the backbone of the IAF’s combat fleet and accounting for a large portion of the country’s fighter squadrons.
The aircraft features thrust-vectoring engines for extreme maneuverability, advanced radar systems, and the ability to carry a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. It can reach speeds of over Mach 2 (around 2,500 km/h) and has a long combat range with mid-air refueling capability.
Previous incidents involving the aircraft
While the Su-30MKI has been widely regarded as a highly capable aircraft, there have been a number of accidents over the years. Earlier crashes involving the fighter jet occurred near Tezpur in Assam in 2015 and 2019, although in those incidents the pilots were able to eject safely.
The latest crash marks a tragic loss for the Indian Air Force as both pilots were killed in the accident.
Investigators are now expected to analyse flight data, wreckage evidence and operational records to determine the cause of the crash and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.