New Delhi:

A video showing an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-29 fighter jet hurtling towards the ground in a flat spin has gone viral.

The fighter jet crashed in a field near Uttar Pradesh’s Agra earlier today. The IAF has said the MiG-29 encountered a “system malfunction” before it crashed. The pilot ejected safely after taking the crippled fighter jet to a direction where there would be no damage or casualties on the ground.

In the video, the MiG-29 is seen falling fast in a flat spin before it hits the ground.

A flat spin occurs when an aircraft enters an uncontrolled spinning motion. It is a dangerous and potentially a life-threatening flight condition.

The IAF said it has ordered an enquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Before today’s accident, the last crash of a MiG-29 fighter jet happened on September 2 in Rajasthan’s Barmer. A “critical technical snag” was cited for the accident then. The pilot had ejected safely.

The erstwhile USSR built the first MiG-29 in 1983. India bought them in 1987 and inducted them the same year. Since then the fighter jet has been upgraded to keep up with new technologies.