IAF Jorhat Airbase: From AN-32 To Sukhoi, This Air Force Base In Assam Is Tied To Major Military Aviation Accidents
Serving as a critical launchpad for operations in the Northeast, the strategically vital Jorhat Air Force Station has recorded a tragic history of major aviation accidents reflecting the heavy operational cost paid by air warriors dealing with the region's high-risk flight corridor
IAF AN-32 Aircraft Crashes During Landing At Rowriah Airport In Assam's Jorhat |
Located in Assam, Jorhat Air Force Station, also known as Rowriah Airbase, is a critical transport and frontline operations base for the Indian Air Force in the northeastern sector. Operating within this region involves navigating exceptionally challenging mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather patterns, factors that have contributed to several significant military aviation accidents over the decades.
Runway landing accident and fire (June 13, 2026)
Five IAF personnel lost their lives within the perimeter of the Jorhat Air Force Station when an Antonov AN-32 tactical transport aircraft suffered a major malfunction upon landing. According to initial reports, the aircraft met with an accident shortly after landing at the airbase. Visuals emerging from the crash site show the AN-32 extensively damaged, with debris scattered across the area. Defence personnel and emergency responders were seen rushing to the spot and securing the crash site.
The aircraft reportedly caught fire after touchdown, with flames and smoke visible from parts of the wreckage.
Sukhoi Su-30MKI night training accident (March 5, 2026)
A high-performance twin-seater Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet, operating under the 47 Squadron, took off from the Jorhat airbase to conduct a scheduled night training mission in the region. At approximately 7:42pm, the aircraft abruptly dropped off military radar screens without transmitting any distress signals, triggering an immediate localised search operation.
The fighter aircraft crashed into the Inglong Ekopi Hills located in the Bokajan Sub-Division of the Karbi Anglong district in Assam, roughly 60 kilometres away from the Jorhat station. Both pilots on board, Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, were killed in the crash, with subsequent investigation teams looking into spatial disorientation or sudden technical failure during night manoeuvers.
Siang district Antonov AN-32 tragedy (June 3, 2019)
In one of the worst transport aircraft disasters in modern Indian military history, an Antonov AN-32 transport plane took off from Jorhat Air Force Station on a routine courier flight bound for the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground in Arunachal Pradesh. The aircraft lost tactical radio contact with air traffic control less than an hour after departure, disappearing over dense, mountainous jungle terrain during a period of turbulent weather and heavy cloud cover.
An extensive eight-day multi-agency search operation involving satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles and specialised ground search teams eventually located the wreckage on a steep, heavily forested mountain slope in the Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. All 13 air warriors on board, comprising eight crew members and five passengers, perished in the crash and their remains were later retrieved and airlifted back to the Jorhat airbase.
Pipistrel Microlight Surveillance crash (February 15, 2018)
A fatal accident involving a specialised lightweight aircraft occurred when a two-seater Pipistrel Virus SW-80 microlight belonging to the Indian Air Force took off from Rowriah airbase for a routine exploratory and training sortie. Shortly into the flight, the pilots reported a severe mechanical emergency, forcing them to attempt a hazardous landing on an isolated sandbar known as Darbar Chapori, situated in the middle of the Brahmaputra river within the Majuli river island district.
The aircraft crashed during the emergency touchdown and immediately caught fire, killing both officers on board, Wing Commander Jai Paul James and Wing Commander D Vats. Due to the extreme geographic isolation of the river island, emergency response units and local police from Jorhat had to deploy via boats to access the crash site and conduct recovery operations.
Historic VVIP approach crash (November 4, 1977)
One of the most historically significant aviation incidents tied to the base involved a Tupolev Tu-124 transport jet, christened Pushpaka, which was carrying then-prime minister Morarji Desai, his son and a delegation of high-ranking government officials from New Delhi to Jorhat.
While executing a night approach under conditions of heavy rain and severely degraded visibility, the aircraft undershot the runway at Rowriah and crash-landed in a nearby muddy paddy field.
While the prime minister and the passengers in the main cabin miraculously survived the high-impact landing with minor injuries, the cockpit crew bore the brunt of the collision. Five Indian Air Force officers, including Wing Commander CJ D'Lima and Squadron Leader Mathew, lost their lives in the impact, having successfully managed to stall the aircraft's forward momentum to preserve the lives of the dignitaries on board.
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