Pilot killed in India after midair crash involving air show stunt team

Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Two airplanes that were practicing for an upcoming air show in India collided in midair Tuesday, killing one of the pilots, authorities said.

The Surya Kiran Hawk aerobatic jets were preparing for Aero India, a biennial air show. Two other pilots ejected and were taken to a hospital. The acrobatic team is known for its midair stunts.

Officials said the pilots were performing a maneuver where one jet flies inverted above the other at close range. Witnesses said it looked like the planes' noses collided.

Video footage captured both planes falling from the sky. Another showed a large fire burning at the wreck site and a still photo showed a parachute in a tree with a helmet nearby.

This crash occurred four years to the day after the Flying Bulls aerobatic team was involved in a midair crash. Their wings clipped and both pilots safely ejected.