Baripada, June 3: An Indian Air Force trainer aircraft today crashed near Kudursahi in Mayurbhanj.

Two pilots have been injured in the incident.

The advanced jet trainer aircraft crashed after flying for about 50km from Kalaikunda Air Base on a routine sortie, an Air Force official said.

The pilots managed to come out before the aircraft hit the ground and burst into flames.

The injured - Sachin Mahajan and Siddharth - were airlifted to Kalaikunda, after preliminary treatment at a local government hospital.

No civilian was hurt as the aircraft fell in an open field. Inspector general of police, eastern range, Aseet Panigrahi said: "The pilots ejected from the plane before it crashed. No civilian has been hurt in the incident."

Subash Patra, an eyewitness, said: "I heard a loud sound and saw flames billowing out of the field. The aircraft was on fire. It fell just about 800 metres from my shop."

He informed the nearest police station. Fire tenders took two hours to extinguish the flames.

Additional district magistrate Surath Mallick said: "It is a Hawk aircraft which crashed. A mid-air technical glitch is believed to have caused the accident."

He said an IAF team had arrived at the spot and was probing into the incident.

The police have cordoned off the site to protect the wreckage. Rairangpur sub-divisional police officer Mohanpani Karua said: "Two platoons of police have been deployed at the site. The wreckage must be protected to facilitate the probe."