'Minor technical incident': HAL refutes reports of Tejas fighter jet crashing
HAL said it acknowledges the recent media reports on the LCA Tejas incident and wishes to provide factual clarification.
Tejas fighter jet manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) refuted reports of crash of the aircraft and said the event in question was a minor technical incident on ground.
LCA Tejas maintains one of the world's best safety records among contemporary fighter aircraft, HAL said.
"HAL acknowledges the recent media reports on the LCA Tejas incident and wishes to provide factual clarification. There has been no reported crash of the LCA Tejas. The event in question was a minor technical incident on ground," HAL said in its statement shared on X.
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"As a standard operating procedure, the issue is being analysed in depth and HAL is working closely with the Indian Air Force (IAF) for a speedy resolution," the statement added.
PTI news agency and several others had reported that a Tejas light combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) sustained major damage to its airframe after overshooting the runway at a frontline airbase earlier this month. The reports did not provide information on where the incident took place.
The aircraft was returning to base after carrying out a training sortie when it encountered a suspected brake failure, leading to the runway excursion on 7 February, the report said, adding that as a result of the incident, the jet suffered significant structural damage.
The pilot ejected safely and escaped uninjured, sources cited in the report said.
The incident, which HAL has described as a minor technical one on ground, marks the third accident involving Tejas aircraft since their induction into service in 2015. The first crash occurred near Jaisalmer in March 2024. The second took place in November 2025 during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow, in which the pilot lost his life.
The Tejas fighter has been designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and is manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Tejas is a single-engine, multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments and is designed to undertake air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles.
The Indian Air Force currently has 30 Tejas jets in its fleet.
