A tragic incident shook the Dubai Air Show on November 21, 2025, as a Tejas fighter jet, India’s homegrown combat aircraft plummeted during a demonstration flight and exploded in a fireball. The crash occurred around 2:10 pm. local time near Al Maktoum International Airport, witnessed by spectators who saw the jet lose altitude rapidly before impact. The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed that the pilot suffered fatal injuries. In a brief statement, they expressed deep regret, saying, “IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family.” A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Eyewitness videos and media reports indicate that the aircraft was performing a steep maneuver possibly a negative G-force turn when it abruptly lost control. According to reports, there was no visible ejection before the crash. As the plane hit the ground, it erupted into flames, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky, prompting immediate emergency response.
In response, firefighting and rescue teams rapidly mobilized on the scene. The show was temporarily halted, and attendees were directed away from the display area as first responders secured the crash site. The Tejas is a single-engine, lightweight, multirole combat aircraft developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). Its design features a delta wing, and while it is largely indigenous, it relies on a foreign engine.
This crash marks the second known Tejas accident in under two years – the first occurred in 2024 during an exercise in India, though in that case, the pilot ejected safely. In the run-up to the crash, social media had been abuzz with claims that the Tejas was leaking oil during the air show. The Indian government, however, swiftly debunked these reports.
According to the Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact check unit, what was circulating was not oil but routine condensation draining from the aircraft’s environmental control system and oxygen generation system a normal procedure, especially in humid conditions like Dubai’s.