Four Philippine Air Force pilots killed in SF-260 training crash
Four Philippine Air Force pilots were killed when two SF-260 trainer aircraft crashed during a training flight at Fernando Air Base in Batangas on Friday afternoon.
Four pilots were killed after two Philippine Air Force SF-260 trainer aircraft crashed during a training flight at Fernando Air Base in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Friday afternoon.
The Philippine Air Force said the accident happened at 3:51pm on 23 October, with both aircraft coming down within the base perimeter. No other casualties were reported, the Air Force said in a statement quoted by The Indian Express.
Local media reported that the two planes collided in midair, Reuters said. The cause of the accident has not been confirmed, and an investigation is under way.
The Air Force has temporarily grounded its SF-260 fleet pending the investigation, and said it is coordinating with the bereaved families and has appealed for their privacy to be respected.
It is the second fatal SF-260 crash in the Philippines this year: in May, two pilots were killed when an SF-260 crashed in a mountainous area in the north of the country. Another SF-260 TP Marchetti crashed during a training flight in 2023, also killing two pilots.
Sources
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