- Radar data, flight path recordings, video footage, under review.
- Parallel check in progress for possible power loss or control system failure.
- This is the first fatal flying display accident in air show history.
DUBAI: Investigators are examining whether the pilot who died in the crash of Indian Tejas fighter jet at the Dubai Airshow descended below the mandatory minimum altitude of 300 feet for aerobatic maneuvers or violated approved flight protocols, aviation officials said on Saturday.
The investigation is being conducted jointly by the UAE Civil Aviation Authority, the country’s Armed Forces Aviation Division and the Dubai Airshow’s Flight Control Committee (FCC), which is reviewing all available technical data and routine display documents.
Officials said investigators were analyzing radar tracks, flight path recordings and high-resolution video footage to determine the plane’s altitude profile and sequence of maneuvers in the moments before impact.
The FCC is also evaluating whether the pilot performed aerobatic maneuvers that were not formally authorized for the show.
A parallel technical investigation aims to determine whether the plane suffered a sudden loss of power, a control system malfunction or other mechanical failure that could have prevented recovery.
The Dubai Air Show, held every two years since 1989, had not recorded a fatal accident with a demonstration plane until Friday’s crash, which killed the pilot and disrupted the day’s protests.
Officials say no decision will be made until all evidence – including cockpit data, maintenance logs and approved display documentation – has been fully reviewed.
