Did an IAF MiG-29 Crash Due to Pilot Error? PIB Fact Check Reveals Truth
A video circulating on social media, claiming to show an Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashing due to pilot error, is fake. The footage originates from the video game 'War Thunder,' not a real-world event. While an actual IAF MiG-29 crash did occur in September 2024, it was due to a technical snag, and the pilot ejected safely.
A claim circulating on Pakistani propaganda accounts, asserting that an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-29 fighter jet crashed during landing due to pilot error, is false. The video footage accompanying this claim has been identified as originating from a video game.
Viral Claim Spreads
The misleading video, purporting to show an IAF MiG-29 crashing on landing, gained traction on various social media platforms, particularly amplified by Pakistani propaganda accounts. These accounts shared the footage alongside captions attributing the supposed crash to pilot error, aiming to spread misinformation regarding the Indian Air Force's operational capabilities. Did Delhi Explosion Kill 8 Before BRICS Summit Concluded? PIB Fact Check Debunks Claim.
PIB Fact Check Reveals Video Is From a Video Game
Video From a Game
Upon investigation, PIB Fact Check confirmed that the circulating video footage is not genuine. The video is, in fact, gameplay from the popular military simulation video game 'War Thunder.' This type of content is often designed to look realistic, leading to its misuse in spreading false narratives online. Similar gameplay videos from 'War Thunder' and other military simulation games have previously been mistaken for real-world events, as evidenced by content on YouTube explicitly stating their fictional nature and non-representation of real conflicts.
Real Crash Context
While the video in question is fake, a real incident involving an IAF MiG-29 did occur in September 2024. As reported by The Hindu, an Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet on a routine training mission crashed near Barmer in Rajasthan. However, this incident was attributed to a technical snag, not pilot error. Crucially, the pilot ejected safely from the aircraft, and there were no casualties reported. This real event has been opportunistically exploited by propagandists to lend false credibility to their fabricated claims. Did PM Narendra Modi Gift a Self-Portrait to Xi Jinping? Fact Check Calls Claim Fake.
Conclusion
The claim that an IAF MiG-29 fighter jet crashed due to pilot error, supported by a viral video, is false. The video footage is from the video game 'War Thunder.' Although a real IAF MiG-29 crash occurred in September 2024, it was due to a technical snag, and the pilot survived without injury.
Fact check
Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a video with the claim that an IAF MiG-29 fighter jet crashed during landing due to pilot error.
The claim is false; the video is from the video game \'War Thunder,\' and a real IAF MiG-29 crash was due to a technical snag, not pilot error.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2026 12:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).