Indian Army Aviation Cheetah Crash

An Indian Army Cheetah light utility helicopter crashed in the high-altitude Tangtse sector of eastern Ladakh near Leh on May 20, 2026. The aircraft was carrying a general officer and two pilots on an operational flight when it went down due to adverse weather conditions. All three occupants survived and escaped with minor injuries. Photos of the wreckage subsequently circulated on social media, confirming significant airframe damage. The Army ordered a Court of Inquiry to investigate the cause. The incident renewed calls for urgent replacement of India's ageing Cheetah fleet, in service since the 1970s and involved in numerous accidents over the decades, with indigenous Light Utility Helicopters developed by HAL.