A pall of grief hung over the Dubai Airshow after a Tejas fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed on November 21, 2025, during an aerial display, killing Wing Commander Namansh Syal. The HAL-built aircraft went down at approximately 2:10 PM local time, during a low-altitude maneuver at Al Maktoum International Airport. The incident occurred on the final day of the airshow, a biennial event showcasing the latest in aviation technology and military hardware.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, while the airshow organizers chose to continue with the flying schedule, some demonstration teams, including the U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, decided to withdraw from their final performances out of respect for the fallen pilot.
US pilot Taylor "FEMA" Hiester, a captain with the U.S. Air Force's Thunderbirds-inspired demo team, expressed his dismay at the decision to proceed with the show. Hiester shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, conveying his shock, sorrow, and solidarity with the IAF community. "Though the show made the shocking decision to continue with the flying schedule, our team along with a few others made the decision to cancel our final performance out of respect to the pilot, his colleagues and family," Hiester wrote.
Hiester described the poignant scene after the crash, noting the Indian maintenance crew standing near the empty parking spot where the Tejas once stood, the ladder still on the ramp, and the pilot's belongings untouched in his rental car. "I suppose each of us contemplated their new reality that came in an instant," he added. He felt uneasy as the airshow pressed on with upbeat announcements, with crowds cheering and sponsors being thanked, a stark contrast to the grief still present.
The crash occurred while Wing Commander Syal was performing a low-altitude barrel roll maneuver. Preliminary assessments suggest that a stall, a sudden power interruption, or a fault in the digital fly-by-wire flight control system might have triggered the fatal sequence. Investigators from India and the United Arab Emirates are jointly working to recover data from the jet's mission computer and engine monitoring system to determine the exact cause of the accident.
The incident has raised questions about the reliability and safety of the Tejas aircraft, a key component of India's "Atmanirbharta" (self-reliance) mission in defense. The Tejas had been performing multiple sorties during the air show, including high-G routines over Dubai's humid coastal airspace. Earlier in the week, a video circulated on social media showing liquid dripping from a static Tejas display, which Indian authorities clarified was environmental condensation and not an oil or fuel leak.
The Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry to investigate the crash. The Dubai Airshow resumed its afternoon program after a brief suspension.
