# AN-32 Crashes at Jorhat: Fourth Major Accident in a Decade for the IAF's Trusted Transport Workhorse

> An IAF AN-32 transport aircraft crashed and caught fire while landing at Jorhat in Assam. It is the fourth major accident involving the aircraft since 2016, the previous three of which claimed 42 lives.

**Category:** India · **Published:** 2026-06-13 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/national/jorahata-men-an-32-kraisha-eka-dashaka-men-chautha-bara-hadasa-janen-isa-transap-378

An AN-32 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed while coming in to land at the Rowriah Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam, on Saturday. The impact was severe enough to break the plane into two parts, and a fire broke out soon after. Early reports suggest the pilot may have lost his life in the crash, though there is no official confirmation yet of how many crew members were on board or what condition they are in.

## An aircraft considered the backbone of the IAF
The AN-32 is regarded as one of the most dependable transport aircraft in the Indian Air Force's fleet. The job of carrying supplies, weapons and troops to remote and rugged terrain frequently falls on its shoulders. Across the Northeast, Ladakh and high-altitude sectors, where landing and taking off is no easy task for other aircraft, it is treated as the very backbone of the force.

## A long trail of accidents
Despite the trust placed in it, the aircraft's past has not been free of mishaps. According to available figures, around 22 accidents linked to the AN-32 have been recorded in India since 1986. Looking only at the past decade, from 2016 to 2026, the Jorhat incident is the fourth major accident involving the aircraft. The three big crashes before it had together claimed the lives of 42 soldiers and service personnel.

## Vanished over the Bay of Bengal, all 29 killed
The most heart-wrenching chapter in this sequence dates to 22 July 2016. That day, an AN-32 flying from Chennai to Port Blair suddenly disappeared from radar over the Bay of Bengal. There were 29 people on board. Even after a long and extensive search operation, no one could be found alive, and all 29 lost their lives. The wreckage was finally located deep underwater nearly eight years later, in 2024, yet the real cause of the crash remains unexplained to this day.

## Lost soon after take-off from Jorhat in 2019
Three years later, on 3 June 2019, another AN-32 took off from Jorhat in Assam bound for Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh, and went out of contact within a short while. After several days of an intensive search, its wreckage was found in the hills of the Tato area. All 13 air force personnel on board were killed. It counts among the most tragic military aircraft accidents the Northeast has seen.

## A narrow escape at Bagdogra
The third major episode unfolded on 7 March 2025 at the Bagdogra airport in West Bengal. While landing, the AN-32 slid off the runway and overshot it. The aircraft suffered considerable damage, but in a relief, every member of the crew came out safe and there was no loss of life.

## Why the Jorhat air base matters strategically
The Rowriah Air Force Station, where the latest crash took place, is a vital location for the air force. It is a key hub for military operations, logistics support and emergency air operations across Northeast India. Its proximity to the China border and its position near the sensitive areas of the Northeast push its strategic importance even higher.

## Inquiry ordered, cause still unclear
For now, it is not clear whether the crash was caused by a technical fault, bad weather or some other reason. The air force's technical team is examining the crash site. To investigate the matter thoroughly, the IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI).

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