Crash of Indian air force trainer aircraft kills 2 pilots The Indian air force says one of its Mirage 2000 trainer aircraft has crashed while taking off after being upgraded by a state aerospace company, killing the two pilots

NEW DELHI -- An Indian air force Mirage 2000 trainer aircraft crashed Friday while taking off after being upgraded by a state aerospace company, killing the two pilots.

Spokesman Group Capt. Anupam Banerjee said the pilots died after ejecting from the French-made aircraft at an airfield in Bangalore, the capital of southern Karnataka state. No one on the ground was injured.

He said the aircraft was being flown to an air force base after being upgraded by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

The cause of the crash was being investigated.

The Indian air force bought 49 Mirage 2000 planes between 1982 and 1986.

In recent years, the Indian air force has suffered a series of crashes of helicopters and MiG aircraft acquired from the former Soviet Union, caused by human error and mechanical problems.