Fighter jet: Air Force pilot dies in tragic accident after attempting three spin 'Top Gun' stunt at low altitude

A pilot has died after attempting a ‘Top Gun’ stunt in a fighter jet. The stunt saw a fire break out in the rear of the jet and the Bangladesh Air Force pilot, Muhammad Asim Jawad, 32, and his co-pilot Wing Commander Sohan Hasan Khan both ejected. The stunt ended in tragedy ast the fighter jet bounced off the runway.

CCTV shows smoke and sparks erupting from the Russian-made jet before Jawad pulled up from the runway in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Both pilots reportedly landed in the Karnaphuli River and were rescued alive by members of the air force, navy and local fishermen, but Jawad later died in hospital, while Khan remains in critical condition.  

The incident occurred on 9 May when the pilots reportedly tried to perform three spins at a low altitude. The aircraft was later recovered from the water. The government's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that the training jet had “crashed due to a mechanical failure”.

However, CCTV footage of the incident appears to show the crash was caused by the high-risk stunt. According to The Daily Mail, source said: “The Bangladesh Air Force claimed the crashed YAK 130 fighter jet encountered mechanical failure, resulting in a catastrophic crash in the Patenga area of Chittagong. 

“However, recently obtained CCTV footage from the runway area contradicts this claim by BAF, displaying a chilling sequence where the aircraft attempts to perform three consecutive aileron rolls at a perilously low altitude, nearly colliding with the runway in the process. The footage reveals the jet scraping the runway at high speed, causing significant damage to the fuselage and igniting a fire.

“'In the critical moments that followed, as captured in the video, the engine became engulfed in flames, emitting black smoke. The two pilots, demonstrating exceptional skill under pressure, managed to eject from the flaming jet. The ejection, a procedure known to exert enormous g-force on the body, often results in temporary loss of consciousness.”