Reports on Tejas aircraft mishap: HAL rejects crash narrative, cites ground technical issue

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Monday denied reports of a crash involving an LCA Tejas aircraft, after news agencies quoted authoritative sources on Sunday as saying an Indian Air Force (IAF) jet sustained major airframe damage when it overshot a runway at a frontline airbase on February 7 following a suspected brake failure.

HAL said there was no airborne accident and described the episode as a minor technical issue on the ground.

What HAL said

Responding to reports suggesting a crash, HAL issued a clarification in a stock exchange filing.

“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 the ground. LCA Tejas maintains one of the world's best safety records among contemporary fighter aircraft. 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.”

There has been no official word from the IAF on the February 7 incident.

According to sources cited earlier, the aircraft was returning to base after carrying out a training sortie when the suspected brake failure occurred. The pilot ejected safely.

Following the incident, the IAF grounded its entire fleet of around 30 single-seat Tejas jets to carry out extensive technical scrutiny, the sources said.

This was the third accident involving Tejas aircraft. The first took place in March 2024, when a jet crashed near Jaisalmer. The second occurred in November 2025 during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow.

Tejas is a single-engine, multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments and undertaking air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles.

Mark 1A delays and programme update

The latest episode comes as HAL has missed several deadlines to supply the Tejas Mark 1A variant to the IAF.

In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets. Deliveries are facing delays primarily due to GE Aerospace missing deadlines to supply aero engines.

In September last year, the ministry signed another Rs 62,370 crore contract with HAL to procure 97 more Tejas Mk-1A aircraft.

On February 13, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said five engines are currently available and five aircraft are flying under the LCA Mark 1A programme.

Speaking to ANI, he said production has largely stabilised for Indian vendors and HAL and will improve once engine supply stabilises. He asserted that while weapon trials have been successful, some of the IAF’s requirements have not yet been fully met.

“On LCA Mark 1A, the five engines are available, and five aircraft are flying. Once this engine supply line stabilises, the production seems to have stabilised in any case, as far as the Indian vendors and the system and the integrator, which is HAL, are concerned. On the acceptance by the Air Force, there are some areas where the level of some of the requirements that the Air Force had is not fully met, perhaps. Although the weapons trials have been successful,” he said.

He added: “However, there are issues with some of the ORs made available to HAL... The idea is that with a 180-aircraft order, over time, they should be able to really perfect it and make it meet the entire requirements of the Air Force.”

Earlier, on February 5, HAL confirmed that five LCA Mk1A fighter jets are fully ready and nine more have been built and flown.

“HAL confirms that five aircraft are fully ready for delivery, incorporating major contracted capabilities in accordance with the agreed specifications. An additional nine aircraft have already been built and flown. Upon receipt of engines from GE, these aircraft will be made ready for delivery,” the company sai