The prestigious Dubai Air Show was brought to a momentary halt on Friday, November 21, 2025, after a Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during a scheduled flight demonstration.
The single-seat fighter jet, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), was reportedly performing aerial maneuvers in front of a large gathering of spectators at the Al Maktoum International Airport when the incident occurred around 2:10 PM local time. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft suddenly lose altitude before plummeting to the ground. The crash resulted in a dramatic explosion and a thick plume of black smoke rising high into the sky.
No ejection. Heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/4V34vwZUEn
— Angad Singh (@zone5aviation) November 21, 2025
Videos of the incident, captured by numerous visitors at the world's major aviation event, have since gone viral on social media, showcasing the jet's final moments before impact. Following the crash, emergency services quickly moved to secure the area, and the air show's flying display schedule was temporarily suspended.
The Tejas, a 4.5-generation multi-role combat aircraft, is a key component of India's indigenous defense modernization program. The aircraft is equipped with a Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat, a system designed to allow the pilot to eject safely even at zero speed and zero altitude. The status of the pilot is currently under investigation by authorities.
This accident marks the second confirmed Tejas crash in less than two years, with the first confirmed incident occurring on March 12, 2024, near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, where the pilot successfully ejected. Both the IAF and air show organizers are probing the cause of the crash.
