An Indian Air Force (IAF) trainee pilot, Rashi Rehna, had a narrow escape when the trainer aircraft, Kiran, that she was flying blew up at Duddeda village in Kondapaka mandal of Siddipet around 2 p.m. on Friday.

Sources said, when the accident took place, parts of the aircraft, which took off from the Hakimpet Air Force Station, fell to the ground like fire balls and were scattered over the forest area adjacent to Rajiv Rahadrai leading to the district headquarters.

Passersby on the State highway had a narrow escape as some burning pieces of the aircraft fell on the road. Senior police officials, including Commissioner of Police S. Siva Kumar, rushed to the spot and examined the situation. Two helicopters from Hakimpet Air Force Station shifted the injured pilot to the air force station. It was reported that the trainee pilot, who escaped with the help of a parachute, suffered a leg injury. She was initially admitted to the Siddipet government hospital and then shifted to Hakimpet.

According to a release by G. Surendra Babu, Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Defence, the aircraft, on a routine training mission, crashed around 50 km from the Hakimpet Air Force Station. A Court of Inquiry (CoI) was ordered into the accident.