Tejas crash Dubai Air Show: After the Tejas fighter jet, flown by Wing Commander Namansh Syal, nosedived and crashed moments after take-off at the Dubai Air Show, videos and photos claiming to show an “oil leak” began circulating on social media once again. The renewed chatter around alleged “negligence” surfaced despite the PIB Fact Check unit having already debunked the oil-leak claim.

Did Tejas suffer an oil leak before its crash?

Before we take you through the PIB fact check, here’s what was being alleged on social media. One user claimed that officials had been “warned” about an alleged “oil leak” and “glaring maintenance failures”, but it was “brushed aside”. The user went so far as to say, “Today’s Tejas crash is not an accident, it is the exact outcome of negligence wrapped in overconfidence.”

ALSO READ

Another post alleged that technicians had used “gift bags” to “plug the spill” on the tarmac.

Here’s the truth behind the viral claims

All these claims, however, are baseless. On November 20, the PIB Fact Check unit reviewed the viral posts and categorically refuted them.

“Several propaganda accounts are circulating videos claiming that at the Dubai Air Show 2025, the Indian LCA Tejas Mk1 suffered an oil leakage,” PIB wrote on X (formerly Twitter), before stressing, “These claims are fake.”

It explained that the videos show the intentional draining of water from ECS and OBOGS – a standard procedure for aircraft operating in humid conditions. “The videos show routine, intentional draining of condensed water from the aircraft’s Environmental Control System (ECS) and On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS). This is a standard procedure for aircraft operating in humid conditions, like those in Dubai.”

PIB added that the “false narrative” by propaganda accounts has been furthered to undermine the jet’s “technical reliability”. 

While responding to its own post, it shared yet another post on a false oil leak claim and added, “The fluid observed was part of a routine draining process, not a technical malfunction. This is a standard pre-flight procedure to remove condensation, which naturally forms as part of the aircraft’s cooling system.”

ALSO READ

The fact-checking unit further urged people to verify facts before sharing posts on social media. 

Tejas jet crash at Dubai Air Show

The Tejas fighter jet crashed at the Dubai Air Show just moments after take-off, in front of a large crowd gathered for its eight-minute performance. The aircraft burst into flames before the pilot could eject.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has condoled the death of the pilot and said that a court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the tragic accident.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered his condolences to the bereaved family of the “brave and courageous IAF pilot”. 

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan also expressed sorrow, saying the armed forces stand with the family during this difficult time.

Syal’s father learnt about the death of his son while scrolling through YouTube to watch his son’s performance at the event. The 34-year-old Wing Commander Namansh Syal was originally from Patiyalkar village in Tehsil Nagrota Bagwan in Himachal Pradesh. He is survived by his wife, also an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, their six-year-old daughter and his parents. His father, Jagannath Syal, served in the Indian Army’s Medical Corps and later worked in the education department and retired as a principal.