Two pilots of Indian Air Force's Surya Kiran aerobatics team were killed when their plane crashed on the outskirts of Bidar in north Karnataka on Saturday, police said.

The pilots killed have been identified as Squadron Leader S Singh and Wing Commander D Bhatia.

The mishap occurred when the tail of one plane hit another during the practice, according to initial reports.

The damaged plane crashed into a field in Naubad on the outskirts of Bidar, about 700 km from Bangalore, the reports said. The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the mishap occurred, a spokesman of the IAF told PTI.

An inquiry has been ordered into the crash, he said.