Four Philippine Air Force Pilots Killed as Two Trainer Planes Crash During Training Flight
Two SF-260 trainer aircraft crashed Friday at Fernando Air Base in Batangas province, killing all four pilots aboard, and the Philippine Air Force has grounded its remaining SF-260 planes while investigators examine the crash.
Two Philippine Air Force trainer aircraft crashed during a training flight Friday at Fernando Air Base in Batangas province. All four pilots aboard died, the military said Saturday.
The accident involved two SF-260 aircraft, the Philippine Air Force said in a statement. The planes crashed within the grounds of the base, in Lipa, a city south of Manila, and no one on the ground was injured.
Local media reported that the two planes collided in midair. Two Philippine officials familiar with the incident told The Associated Press the same, and AP reported that the planes struck each other at low altitude Friday afternoon before crashing inside the base. A witness told AP that one of the two-seat aircraft came down near military personnel barracks within the base.
Grounding ordered while the cause is examined
The Air Force has temporarily grounded its fleet of SF-260 trainer planes pending an investigation into the cause of the crash. The service described the incident as an accidental crash and released no further details, AP reported. It did not disclose how many SF-260 aircraft remain in its fleet. The planes were acquired from Italy, according to AP.
Earlier crashes involving the same type
Reuters reported that two pilots were killed in May when an SF-260 trainer aircraft crashed in a mountainous area in the northern Philippines. Another SF-260 aircraft crashed during a 2023 training flight, also killing two pilots, Reuters reported.
The military said the cause of Friday’s crash remains under investigation, and no other casualties were reported.
Reporting based on coverage by Reuters and The Associated Press.
