A MiG-23 trainer fighter aircraft from the Hashimara airbase of Indian Air Force on Monday crashed near Alipurduar in north Bengal, but the two pilots bailed out to safety.

This is the seventh IAF aircraft crash this year and the third MiG to crash in the Dooars region of North Bengal.

The two pilots -- Wing Commander Sisodia and Flight Lieutenant Karthik -- were on a training sortie on the MiG-23 twin-seater jet when they took off from Hashimara in Jalpaiguri district at 1220 hours.

Within 15 minutes of take-off, the two pilots complained of trouble and the aircraft crashed at 1236 hours, IAF sources said here.

"A MiG-23 trainer aircraft of IAF crashed near Air Force Station Hashimara on Monday. The aircraft had got airborne from Hashimara air base and was on a routine training-flying mission. The pilots ejected safely. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry into the cause of the mishap," an IAF official said in New Delhi [Images].

No damage to civilian property or loss of lives was reported from the site of the crash, sources added.

Alipurduar Additional Superintendent of Police Sabyasachi Mishra said the aircraft crashed at Nararthali area in his jurisdiction with the debris hitting a 'kutcha' house, setting it on fire.

The occupants of the house were working in the fields at the time. The debris of the fighter jet was scattered over a radius of 2 km. A search was on for the aircraft's black box, Mishra added.

With this mishap, the number of MiG crashes in 2008 rose to five. IAF has lost MiG-21s from Bhuj, Bagdogra and Chabua in Assam in the crashes on February 15, May 23 and November 12 respectively.

In the other crashes this year, a MiG-27 based in Hashimara was lost on January 31, 'Hawk' Advanced Jet trainer at Bidar on April 30 and a HPT 'Kiran' trainer aircraft on May 12 this year.

The Air Force has been facing problems with the Russian-designed MiG fighters.

With these aircraft flying with the IAF beyond their service life, the Air Headquarters has plans to replace them in about five years with 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) and the indigenously-built 'Tejas' Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which is under development at HAL Bangalore.

While the MRCA are likely to be inducted before 2013, the LCA induction is scheduled for 2011.

With ageing combat aircraft being phased out, the IAF's fighter fleet strength has come down drastically to 32 squadrons against the sanctioned strength of 39.5 squadrons.

In 2006, the number of squadrons went down to an alarming 29 squadrons, but has since then improved with induction of British-made 'Hawks' and raising of new Russian-made Sukhoi squadrons.