The father of Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Wing Commander Namansh Syal learned about the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Mk-1) crash not from officials, but while browsing YouTube for videos of the ongoing Dubai Airshow. The young IAF officer died on Friday when the indigenously developed fighter jet crashed during a demonstration display.
According to a report in the The Indian Express, Syal’s father Jagan Nath Syal, a retired school principal from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra, said he was searching for videos of the airshow when reports of the crash suddenly appeared on his screen.
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IAF Tejas fighter jet crashes at the Dubai Air Show | Pilot dead | Air Forces initiates probe#IAF #TejasCrash #Tejas #DubaiAirshow #indianairforce pic.twitter.com/wCrEzfXwur— The Theorist (@thetheorist_in) November 21, 2025
“Around 4 pm today, I was searching videos of the ongoing air show in Dubai on YouTube when I saw reports about the plane crash,” he told the newspaper.
He Spoke to His Son a Day Before the Crash
The grieving father said he had spoken to Namansh just a day earlier. The pilot had urged him to watch his performance live on television or on YouTube.
After spotting the reports, Jagan Nath immediately called his daughter-in-law — Syal’s wife — who is also an IAF Wing Commander, the report stated.
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“Moments later, at least six Air Force officers arrived at our house and I realised something bad happened to my son,” he said.
The IAF confirmed that the pilot sustained fatal injuries during the aerial display.
“An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the IAF said in a statement on X on Friday.
It added that a court of inquiry has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the crash.
What Happened During the Demonstration Flight?
Videos from the Dubai Airshow showed the Tejas jet suddenly nosediving, followed by a massive plume of smoke rising from the crash site. Shocked spectators could be heard gasping in the background.
The accident occurred on the final day of the airshow, which began on November 17. The aircraft was performing low-level aerobatic manoeuvres, a routine but high-precision segment of demonstration flights.
