The Navhind Times (NT) has provided some interesting details of the Christmas Eve morning Sea Harrier air crash at Dabolim. <The Sea Harrier crashed while returning from a routine sortie at the **eastern end** of the Dabolim airport runway. Speaking exclusively to 'The Navhind Times', the pilot of the ill-fated aircraft, Commander Janak Bevli **(38)**, who is a See Dabolim, P16 **senior staff pilot and second-in-Commander of Harrier Squadron of INAS- 300** informed that "The aircraft was stabled and hovering at the height of less than **100 feet over the runway."** He informed that at around 11.11 a.m a technical snag developed in the aircraft following that within two seconds, he ejected out of the aircraft safely. "The aircraft then went towards the ground and hit the runway, informed the pilot. The aircraft was later found in the flames since the **fuel tank was full.**> http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=12256
Clearly the pilot is no plebe. At 38 years of age he is #2 in the Harrier squadron at Dabolim. Seems like he was trying to trouble shoot the vertical landing procedure which had resulted in an accident in similar circumstances in the multi-navy exercise in the Bay of Bengal in September this year. Then it was at sea on the INS Viraat. Fortunately the Dabolim attempt was made at the eastern end of the runway so the crash didnt obstruct civilian traffic unduly. It is odd that the fuel tank was full which confirms that he was working only on the vertical landing routine and not flying around much. In any event the Dabolim runway should not be used for vertical landings if they are still risky. If the remnants are not properly cleaned up afterwards it could cause a civilian plane using the runway to crash.
