Coimbatore: Possible engine failure could have been the reason for yesterday's (April 7) crash of a MiG 21 that occurred in Baldev Nagar near Ambala, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy said on April 8.

"Preliminary investigation reveals that there is some possible failure of engine," Krishnaswamy told reporters at Coimbatore Airport.

The IAF had rectified the defect in the fuel system of MiG series, which were the main cause for earlier crashes but yesterday's crash was something different and it might possibly be due to engine trouble, he said.

On frequent crashes involving MiG aircraft, he said that the force had different series of MiGs and four out of five fighter jets happened to be MiG aircraft. However, being the main war-fighting machines and backbone of IAF "we are confident that this will be rectified and modernised", he said

To another question on phasing out of MiGs, he said, "We have already started phasing out type 77 from this year. This is being done because of its specific technology life, since it had been with the force since 1966."

When asked about induction of more fighters, Krishnaswamy said, "certainly there are plans and under active consideration." But he declined to elaborate on this.

The Air Chief said the country's most advanced Light Combat Aircraft could match any combat aircraft in the world.

IAF was focusing on developing advance light helicopters, which would be light, low cost and high-tech.

PTI