The Indian Air Force (IAF) has lost as many as 388 of the 999 aircraft in crashes since 1970 due to pilot error, equating to 39% of total accidents, according to a report by parliamentary committee on defence.

The committee’s report on budgetary demands for grants 2011-12 said, “The ministry, in a written note, has furnished the accident data of the IAF since 1970. The data indicates that 999 aircraft have met with accidents so far.”

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According to the report, 12 of the 999 accidents are currently under investigation.

“Of the rest of the 987 cases, in as many as 388 cases the reason is human error by the air crew,” Indo Asian News Service quotes the report as saying.

Technical problems have contributed to 39.5% of air crashes, while another 1.6% of accidents occurred due to servicing error on the aircraft.

According to the report, another 9% accidents were caused by bird strikes.

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