In the Philippines, two SF-260 military aircraft collided during a training flight on 23 October. All four pilots on board were killed, the country’s Air Force reported on 24 October. Both aircraft crashed within the grounds of Fernando Air Base in Lipa, and the command has suspended all SF-260 flights pending the outcome of the investigation.
Briefly about the main points
- The collision took place on 23 October during a training flight in Lipa.
- The aeroplanes collided at low altitude at approximately 15:51.
- One of the aircraft crashed near the barracks, but no one on the ground was injured.
- The names of the deceased are not being published at the request of their families.
- The Commission will review the flight tasks and the crews’ actions.
The aeroplanes crashed on the airbase grounds
Two single-engine aeroplanes were on a training flight in the vicinity of Fernando Air Base in Lipa, Batangas Province, south of Manila. At approximately 15:51 local time, they collided at a low altitude.
After the blow, both aircraft lost control and crashed within the military base. The Associated Press, citing officials familiar with the circumstances of the crash, reported that one aircraft crashed near the barracks.
The names of the crew members are not being disclosed
У disaster All crew members on both aircraft were killed. The military did not disclose their names at the request of their families.
Despite one of the aircraft crashing near residential buildings on the base, there were no casualties on the ground. The military command expressed its condolences to the pilots’ families and stated that it would provide them with the necessary support.
The Air Force has suspended operations of the entire model whilst the investigation is ongoing
Colonel, Spokesperson for the Philippine Air Force Elvin J. Kapingian He reported that emergency and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site. The military also secured the area and began investigating the circumstances of the accident.
The command has temporarily suspended the operation of all remaining SF-260s in service. A special commission is to investigate the procedure for carrying out the flight mission and the actions of the crews immediately prior to the collision. There are as yet no official conclusions regarding the causes of the tragedy.
The SF-260 is used to train military pilots
The SF-260 is a light, single-engine aircraft manufactured in Italy, which the Philippine Air Force uses for initial pilot training, manoeuvring exercises and training flights. Certain variants were also used for light attack missions, notably during operations against militants linked to the «Islamic State» group in Marawi in 2017.
In May 2026, an SF-260 crashed in the mountainous region of Benguet Province, killing two military pilots. In January 2023, an SF-260TP crashed during a training flight in Bataan Province; two crew members were killed.
