A Tejas fighter jet crashed in a dramatic accident at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, sending up a column of black smoke as stunned spectators watched. The single-seat Light Combat Aircraft was developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It went down around 2:10 pm local time during a flying display, according to eyewitness accounts and videos reviewed by NDTV.

There is still no confirmation of the pilot’s condition or whether an ejection occurred, with an official statement from the Indian Air Force awaited.

The crash comes at one of the world’s biggest aviation events. The event has been packed with major deals this week, including large aircraft orders from Emirates and FlyDubai.

This is the second Tejas crash in less than two years. The previous accident happened in March 2024 in Jaisalmer, where the pilot ejected safely. It was the first crash in the jet’s history since its maiden flight in 2001.

The Tejas is a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter known for its lightweight design and advanced capabilities. It supports air-defence, offensive support, and close-combat missions. One of its defining safety features is the Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat. It is engineered to allow safe ejection even at zero altitude and zero speed during take-off, landing or low-level manoeuvres.

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