By On August 9, 2017 Pakistani Air Force’s senior officer Wing Commander Mohammad Shahzad embraced martyrdom when his aircraft crashed near Mianwali on its routine operational flight on Wednesday.
F-7PGs were first inducted in the PAF in 2002 as a replacement for F-6, which were then decommissioned. The trainer FT-7PGs came later. The PAF had previously operated F-7Ps.
About nine or 10 F-7PGs/FT-7PGs had been lost during the 15 years in service. The PAF owned more than 50 of the Chinese-made aircraft in its fleet.
Air Force media wing on Wednesday issued a statement, “Wing Commander Mohammad Shahzad was flying an F-7 aircraft when it reportedly encountered a technical fault and crashed near Sabzazar area of Mianwali.”
According to the official source, the body of the deceased pilot was recovered from the site of the incident and shifted to PAF Base M M Alam, Mianwali, where the funeral prayers were offered.
An investigation into the crash had been launched by the air force.
The losses of F-7PGs/FT-7PGs in air crashes were within the limit, aviation experts claimed.
Earlier at the same place Pakistan’s first Female fighter pilot Maryam Mukhtar died as PAF trainer jet crashed near Mianwali.
Correspondent: Syeda Faiza Bukhari