The Indian Air Force lost one of its newly-inducted Hawk trainer jets in a crash in southern India, prompting defence authorities to ground the fleet of British-made planes, officials and news reports said Thursday, according to DPA. An IAF spokesman said the advanced trainer jet slammed into a wall while taking off from the air force station in Bidar city on Tuesday. The air base is located about 550 kilometres north of the country's main IT hub of Bangalore. "Two pilots escaped unhurt. We have instituted a court of inquiry to investigate the accident and will be releasing the findings soon," Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani said. The Hawk trainer jet was offered to IAF to help train rookie pilots in combat fighter jet flying since the Russian-made MIG aircraft used for training is a relatively difficult machine to handle and reported frequent crashes. Meanwhile, the Hawk fleet at the Bidar airbase has been grounded until the exact reason behind the accident was ascertained, local newspapers reported. Under a deal finalized in 2004, IAF is to acquire 66 Hawks from British Aerospace Systems out of which 10 jets have arrived and comprise the fleet at Bidar.
