On the 25th November 1980, Flight Lieutenant Anil Kumar Mathur was authorised to air test a Marut aircraft. On getting airborne, he experienced excessive skid to the right. Flt Lt Mathur initiated corrective action which failed to stabilise the aircraft. He also observed that the temperature of the right engine had significantly dropped following the engine failure and the position of the tail plane setting was abnormal.

When Flight Lieutenant Anil Kumar Mathur decided to execute an immediate landing, he experienced a total hydraulic failure which made the controls and other systems inoperative. Consequently, on lowering the undercarriage, he found it very difficult to maintain level flight as trimmer was inoperative and on the lowering of the flaps for landing, he had to use his full physical strength to control the aircraft. Subsequently, he succeeded in landing the aircraft safely and made it available for fault investigation.

Flight Lieutenant Anil Kumar Mathur thus exemplary courage, presence of mind and professional competence of a high order.