Five Indian Air Force personnel died after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed and caught fire while landing at Jorhat Air Force Station [1].

The accident occurred during a routine sortie, highlighting potential safety risks associated with the aging AN-32 transport fleet used by the military.

The crash took place on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Rowriah Airport in Jorhat, Assam [1, 4]. According to reports, the aircraft caught fire during its landing approach, leading to the fatal accident [2].

Official records confirm that five personnel were killed in the incident [1]. One co-pilot was injured during the crash [2]. While some early reports indicated the pilot was feared dead, subsequent updates focused on the five confirmed fatalities [3, 1].

The Indian Air Force has constituted a court of inquiry to determine the cause of the crash [1]. The investigation will examine whether the incident was caused by technical failure, pilot error, or environmental factors, a process that typically takes several weeks to complete.

Emergency response teams were deployed to the site immediately following the crash to extinguish the fire and recover the bodies. The Jorhat Air Force Station remains a critical hub for military operations in the region, and the loss of five personnel is a significant blow to the local contingent.

Military officials have not yet released the names of the deceased or the specific nature of the co-pilot's injuries [2]. The court of inquiry will provide the definitive account of the events leading up to the landing failure [1].

“Five Indian Air Force personnel died after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed”

The loss of five personnel in a routine sortie underscores the operational risks of the AN-32 fleet. A court of inquiry's findings will be critical in determining if this was an isolated mechanical failure or a systemic issue requiring the grounding or accelerated replacement of similar transport aircraft within the IAF inventory.