What is the Negative-G manoeuvre that the Tejas jet is said to have performed before crash?

Visuals from the Tejas fighter jet crash

A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas that crashed during its demonstration flight at the Dubai Air Show was attempting a high-risk negative-G turn moments before impact, according to aviation specialists reviewing footage of the manoeuvre, NDTV reported.

The Indian Air Force confirmed the pilot did not survive the crash, stating on X that the officer had died in the line of duty. The Wing Commander, Namansh Syal, was from the Kangra area of Himachal Pradesh.

According to the NDTV report, experts examining the visuals from the crash said the jet appeared to drop sharply in altitude while recovering from a loop sequence. Their preliminary observation suggests the aircraft may have encountered difficulty stabilising during the negative-G phase.

More on Negative-G phase

Negative-G is a force that pushes upward relative to the aircraft, reversing the natural direction of gravity. It is commonly encountered in airshow aerobatics. Without proper control and recovery timing, it can challenge an aircraft’s stability and affect pilot physiology.

The aircraft involved belonged to an IAF squadron based in Sulur in Tamil Nadu, and had been operational since 2016.

After the retirement of the MiG-21 fleet, the Tejas was positioned as the Indian Air Force’s next frontline lightweight fighter. Despite decades of development and wide deployment, the platform has had an exceptional safety record. This incident marks the second crash in 24 years.

The earlier recorded loss occurred in Jaisalmer in March 2024. It took place more than two decades after the Tejas undertook its maiden test flight in 2001.

The aircraft’s design intentionally incorporates instability to maximise agility and responsiveness. This design philosophy relies heavily on an advanced fly-by-wire system, a flight computer that constantly adjusts control surfaces to maintain safe flight characteristics.

Reportedly, a similar principle is used in other modern fighters such as the American F-16, which also depends on computer-assisted stability to achieve high manoeuvrability.