An Indonesian military fighter jet ploughed into a residential area in Sumatra on Monday, but the pilot ejected safely and there were no injuries on the ground, the air force said.

The one-seater Hawk 209 was returning from training manoeuvres when the pilot reported engine problems and ejected from the British-built plane, which then crashed into a group of empty houses, according to officials.

No one on the ground in Kampar regency was hurt, said Indonesian Air Force chief of staff Fadjar Prasetyo. "There were three jets returning from exercises this morning and they were about to land when one of them crashed about two kilometres from the runway," he added.

An investigation would be carried out to determine the cause of the accident, Prasetyo said. The incident comes in the same month that an army helicopter crashed during a training exercise on Java Island, killing four soldiers and leaving five others injured.