MANILA: Four pilots were killed after two Philippine Air Force trainer aircraft crashed during a training flight, prompting the air force to temporarily ground its entire fleet of SF-260 training aircraft as an investigation into the accident gets underway.
According to Reuters, the Philippine military said on Saturday that the accident occurred on Friday at Fernando Air Base in Batangas province, south of the capital, Manila. The incident involved two SF-260 aircraft conducting a training flight.
In a statement, the Philippine Air Force confirmed that both aircraft crashed within the air base’s grounds, killing four pilots. No other casualties were reported.
Local media reports suggested that the two aircraft collided in midair. However, authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of the crash.
SF-260 Fleet Grounded Pending Investigation
The Philippine Air Force has temporarily grounded all its SF-260 trainer aircraft pending an investigation into the cause of the accident. Further details are expected as the inquiry progresses.
The crash is not the first fatal accident involving an SF-260 aircraft in the Philippines in recent years. In May 2026, two pilots were killed when an SF-260 trainer aircraft crashed in a mountainous area in the country’s north. Another SF-260 TP Marchetti aircraft crashed during a training flight in 2023, also killing two pilots.
Aircraft Previously Used in Military Operations
According to Reuters, the Philippine military also used SF-260 aircraft during months of air strikes on the southern city of Marawi in 2017, after militants affiliated with Islamic State seized control of the area.
Following the latest accident, flights by the SF-260 fleet have been suspended temporarily. The precise cause of the crash remains undetermined and will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
