Four Philippine Air Force pilots killed as two SF-260 trainers crash during training flight

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, killing four pilots, the military said on Saturday. The aircraft crashed within the grounds of the air base, and there were no other casualties. Local media reported that the two planes collided in midair, though the Air Force statement did not confirm a collision.

The Air Force has temporarily grounded its fleet of SF-260 trainer planes pending an investigation into the cause of the accident. In May, two pilots were killed when an SF-260 trainer aircraft crashed in a mountainous area in northern Philippines, and an SF-260 TP Marchetti crashed during a 2023 training flight, also killing two pilots.