IAF’s Jaguar hit by bird in Ambala, pilot drops practice bombs during emergency landing

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar jet on Thursday suffered a technical glitch after one of its engines failed following bird hit. Fortunately, the pilot jettisoned the aircraft's fuel tanks and small practice bombs and managed to land it back safely at Ambala Air Force Station base.

“An IAF Jaguar pilot jettisoned fuel tanks of his aircraft after one of the engines failed after being hit by a bird, pilot managed to land back safely at the Ambala air base. Small practice bombs jettisoned by his aircraft have also been recovered,” the news agency ANI quoted IAF sources as saying.

IAF Sources: An IAF Jaguar pilot jettisoned fuel tanks of his aircraft after one of the engines failed after being hit by a bird, pilot managed to land back safely at the Ambala air base. Small practice bombs jettisoned by his aircraft have also been recovered.

— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2019

According to the media reports, a loud explosion near the residential area and airforce base wall. Eyewitnesses also observed something falling from the aircraft. Billows of black smoke immediately spread around the area. Ambulance, fire brigade and Air Force officers rushed to the spot. A search operation has been initiated in the residential areas by Air Force officials and local police.

No casualties reported so far.

Earlier this month, an IAF Jaguar aircraft Jamnagar crashed in Gujarat's Kutch. The pilot, Air Commodore Sanjay Chauhan, unfortunately lost his life in the crash. A day later, another IAF Jaguar aircraft developed a technical snag before landing at the Jamnagar airbase in Gujarat on June 8.

Jaguar is a twin-engine, single seater deep penetration strike aircraft of Anglo-French origin. It has a maximum speed of 1350 km /hr (Mach 1.3). It has two 30mm guns and can carry two R-350 Magic CCMs (overwing) along with 4750 kg of external stores (bombs/fuel).

More details awaited.