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Four Pilots Die in Philippine Air Force Training Crash
Two SF-260 trainers went down at Fernando Air Base Friday, killing four pilots. The Philippine Air Force, the country’s military air service, reported no other casualties and has not confirmed reports of a low-altitude collision. It opened an investigation and grounded its remaining SF-260 fleet pending a safety review, with no return date announced.
At 3:51 p.m. Friday, two Philippine Air Force training planes went down inside Fernando Air Base, killing all four pilots on board. The crash happened within the base grounds in Lipa City, south of Manila, and no other casualties were reported. The Air Force announced the deaths Saturday, October 24, and said it was mourning the pilots. 13
The aircraft were SF-260 trainers, used by the Philippine Air Force to train pilots. Local reports and officials familiar with the crash said the planes collided in midair at low altitude before falling. The Air Force has not confirmed that account or announced a cause. It has opened an investigation and temporarily grounded the remaining SF-260 planes as a safety step. The Air Force did not say how many of the planes remain in service. 359
Grounding the fleet is a practical consequence of the crash: the aircraft cannot fly again until the Air Force’s safety review moves forward. The investigation must establish what happened during the training flight, while the precise cause remains unknown. Earlier SF-260 crashes have also killed pilots: two died in a northern Philippines crash in May, and two more died in a 2023 training crash. The latest deaths therefore add to a record of fatal accidents involving this aircraft type. 45
The four pilots’ names have not been released in the reports provided. The Air Force said it is helping their families and asked the public to respect their privacy. Investigators now need to examine the wreckage and the circumstances of the flight. Until they finish that work, the SF-260 fleet remains grounded, with no return date announced. 35
Questions about this story
What is the SF-260 used for?▾
The Philippine Air Force uses the SF-260 as a trainer aircraft for pilot training. 4
Where is Fernando Air Base located?▾
It is in Lipa City, Batangas province, south of Manila. The base has the Air Force’s pilot training and education facilities.
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Four Philippine Air Force pilots killed after aircraft crashes during training sortie at Manila air baseptcnews.tv
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2 Philippine air force planes collide mid-air, all 4 pilots killed | Videomoneycontrol.com
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4 pilots killed as two Philippine military aircraft collide mid-air near Manila | World Newshindustantimes.com
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Four Philippine Air Force Pilots Killed as Two Trainer Aircraft Crash at Fernando Air Basepragativadi.com
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Four Philippine Air Force pilots killed as two trainer aircraft crash in Batangaspgurus.com
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