HAL clarifies LCA Tejas damage report, calls it 'minor technical incident on ground'

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Monday clarified that there has been no reported crash of the LCA Tejas aircraft, terming the recent episode as a “minor technical incident on ground”.

“There has been no reported crash of the LCA Tejas. The event in question was a minor technical incident on ground,” the company said in a regulatory filing.

HAL further said that the 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,” it added.

The clarification came after a PTI report, citing authoritative sources, claimed that a Tejas light combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force sustained major damage to its airframe after it allegedly overshot the runway at a frontline airbase earlier this month following a suspected brake failure.

The pilot had ejected safely, the report said.

It was the third accident involving the Tejas jets. The first one took place in March 2024, when a Tejas jet crashed near Jaisalmer.

The second incident took place in November 2025, when a Tejas jet crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow.

There was no official word from the IAF on the reported incident that allegedly took place on February 7.

The report had also said that following the incident, the IAF grounded its fleet of single-seat Tejas jets to carry out technical scrutiny.

The state-run aerospace major didn't comment on the reported grounding of Tejas fleet.

Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments.

It has been designed to undertake air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles.

The latest accident comes at a time when Tejas maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has missed several deadlines to supply the Tejas Mark 1A variant of the aircraft to the IAF.

In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a ₹48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF.

The delivery of the jets is facing delays primarily due to GE Aerospace missing several deadlines for the supply of its aero engines to power the jets.

The defence ministry in September last year sealed another deal worth ₹62,370 crore with HAL to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft for the IAF.