Overview
- An Indian Air Force An-32 transport crashed while landing at Rowriah (Jorhat) Air Force Station, with five crew members confirmed dead and the co-pilot surviving with serious injuries.
- Witnesses and early reports say the aircraft landed on a rough, grassy area inside the base rather than the runway and then suffered an explosion and fire, though those specifics await formal confirmation.
- Base fire brigade and emergency teams brought the blaze under control and carried out rescue and medical evacuation before wreckage was secured for investigation.
- The IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry that will rely on the surviving co-pilot’s testimony, maintenance and flight records, and on-site forensics to probe human, technical and procedural factors.
- The An-32 is a long-serving IAF workhorse with a history of accidents in India, and the crash at a key northeast logistics base will likely intensify scrutiny of maintenance, upgrades and fleet replacement plans.