Four Philippine Air Force pilots were killed after two trainer aircraft crashed during a routine exercise at Fernando Air Base, south of Manila. The incident took place on Friday afternoon in Batangas province. Following the fatal crash, the military grounded its remaining fleet of SF-260 aircraft while investigators look into how the planes came down and whether they collided mid-air.
What happened at Fernando Air Base?
According to the air force, the two aircraft were taking part in a training flight at the base in Lipa City when they crashed at around 3.51 pm local time on October 23. Each SF-260 carries two personnel, and all four pilots on board lost their lives in the accident.
The Philippine Air Force stated that the wreckage fell inside the military installation. "Both aircraft went down within the base perimeter, with no other casualties reported," air force spokesman Colonel Alvin Capinguian said in an official statement.
Although an official investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash, media reports citing officials familiar with the incident indicated that the two planes collided while flying at low altitude. In addition, media reports citing eyewitnesses noted that one of the aircraft crashed near military barracks, though no injuries were reported among personnel on the ground. The air force is yet to release a detailed account of the sequence of events.
Philippine Air Force grounds SF-260 aircraft after crash
As a precautionary measure, the air force has suspended flights for its remaining SF-260 fleet while the inquiry continues. Authorities have not disclosed how many aircraft are affected or when training operations using the model will resume.
Military has withheld the names of the four deceased pilots. However, officials confirmed they are coordinating closely with the bereaved families to extend necessary support and assistance.
The SF-260 is an Italian-designed, single-engine propeller aircraft primarily used for military flying instruction. Unlike heavy fighter jets, it is a lightweight, two-seat trainer built to help aviators master core flying skills before transitioning to advanced aircraft. Beyond instructional roles, the Philippine military has previously deployed these planes in active operations, including airstrikes during the 2017 Marawi conflict against militants linked to Islamic State.
Earlier Philippine Air Force training crashes killed four pilots
Friday's incident marks another deadly setback for the fleet, coming shortly after another fatal accident involving the same aircraft model earlier this year. On May 20, two pilots died when an SF-260 crashed in the mountainous Benguet province during a navigation training flight. That plane was part of an 11-aircraft formation that had taken off from Fernando Air Base towards Baguio City, according to the Philippine Information Agency.
A separate SF-260 training crash in 2023 also resulted in two pilot fatalities, according to media reports.
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