---

"The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam. Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty," the IAF said in a post on X.

The Air Force also extended its condolences to the families of the deceased and said it stands firmly with them in this time of grief. "IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief," IAF wrote.

---

---

https://x.com/aviationbrk/status/206...057510305?s=20

NEW: Indian Air Force An-32 military transport aircraft crashed on Saturday while attempting to land at an air force base in the northeastern city of Jorhat.

"We are aware of the IAF transport aircraft accident in Jorhat. We are awaiting further details," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

---

---

White House UFC Event Lighting Nearly Blinded Flight Crew on Approach to Reagan National

A commercial airline pilot that spoke to MeidasTouch this evening has filed aviation safety reports after powerful lighting used during the construction and testing of the UFC octagon on the White House grounds allegedly shone directly into their cockpit during a nighttime approach into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), creating what the pilot described as one of the most severe visibility disruptions they have experienced in their career.

While laser strikes on aircraft are a known aviation hazard, the pilot emphasized that this incident did not involve lasers. Instead, it involved powerful white event lighting that they said created a similar, and potentially more dangerous, effect by overwhelming pilots’ vision during approach.

Following the incident, the pilot filed reports with both the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), a confidential reporting program used by aviation professionals to document safety concerns and hazards.

The pilot also contacted a local FAA office to report the incident. According to their account, FAA personnel advised them to contact the White House regarding concerns about the lighting.

The reports raise questions about coordination between event organizers and aviation authorities given Reagan National’s unique location near some of the nation’s most sensitive airspace and busiest flight corridors. Aircraft approaching DCA routinely pass over Washington landmarks at relatively low altitudes during final approach.

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of aviation safety in the Washington region following the fatal midair collision near Reagan National earlier last year involving an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army helicopter.

Aviation safety experts have long warned that sudden bright light exposure can temporarily impair a pilot’s night vision, particularly during approach and landing when crews are transitioning between instrument references and external visual cues.

It is not yet clear whether additional flight crews reported similar visibility issues during Sunday night’s event or whether the FAA plans to review the matter.

MeidasTouch has reached out to the FAA and received no immediate response.

---