After a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas crashed on the final day of the Dubai air show on Friday, videos showing final moments of the homegrown fighter jet have gone viral.
Onlookers who were cheering the spectacular display soon started screaming and expressing shock. Witnesses who shot the videos said the pilot failed to eject. The fighter jet was reportedly attempting a vertical takeoff and the crash occurred during the third rollover.
VIDEO | Dubai: A Tejas fighter jet taking part in the Dubai Air Show nosedived during an aerial display and crashed this afternoon. The HAL-manufactured aircraft went down around 02:10 pm local time while performing manoeuvres in front of a large audience. An official statement… pic.twitter.com/9MfLJgYeen
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 21, 2025
Aviation experts said the crash occurred after the pilot performed a Negative G aerobatic manoeuvre, which if not properly done could lead to loss of consciousness, reports NDTV. Negative G force is exerted when the aircraft accelerates in the opposite direction of gravity.
A Tejas fighter has crashed during a display at Dubai air show. Awaiting info on pilot. pic.twitter.com/YT4DgLhXMr
— Angad Singh (@zone5aviation) November 21, 2025
However, the exact cause of the accident will be revealed only after an official court of inquiry. "An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Airshow, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident," an IAF spokesperson said.
A clearer video of the Indian Air Force LCA Tejas before the crash has emerged and it appears to be a case of a misjudged manoeuvre by the aircrew.
— Tactical Tipu (@Tactical_Tipu) November 21, 2025
The LCA Tejas was performing aerobatics at the Dubai Air Show 2025. pic.twitter.com/aZBMarve3p
Videos showed the HAL-made aircraft in a sharp descent before it goes out of sight. Soon after the crash at around 3.50 pm IST (2.10 pm local time), a ball of fire and a thick plume of black smoke is seen billowing across the airfield at Al Maktoum International Airport. Dubai's government said emergency teams were managing the situation on-site.
This is the second Tejas crash in less than two years. On March 12, 2024, a Tejas Mk-1 fighter jet crashed in Jaisalmer. The pilot managed to safely evacuate in the incident.
