Four military pilots were killed when two Philippine Air Force planes collided in midair during a training exercise, sending both aircraft crashing to the ground in a devastating accident captured on video.
The tragedy unfolded Friday, October 23, at approximately 3:51 p.m. local time over Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, about 50 miles south of the Philippine capital, Manila.
The two SF-260 training aircraft were flying at low altitude alongside several other military planes when they suddenly collided, according to footage broadcast by local news outlets.
Video of the accident shows the aircraft traveling in formation before striking one another. Both planes then rapidly lost altitude and crashed inside the military base.
All four pilots aboard the two aircraft were killed.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured, despite one of the planes reportedly crashing near military barracks.
The Philippine Air Force confirmed the deaths Saturday, October 24, and announced that its entire fleet of SF-260 training aircraft had been temporarily grounded while investigators work to determine what went wrong.
Military officials described the incident as an aviation accident but have not established what caused the collision.
The identities of the four pilots have not yet been publicly released, with the military asking that their families be given privacy as they mourn.
In an official statement, the Philippine Air Force expressed its grief over the loss of the aviators and acknowledged their service.
“The PAF honors the service and sacrifice of our fallen aviators,” the military said, adding that it was coordinating with the victims’ families to provide assistance.
The accident occurred during a routine training mission involving the SF-260, a two-seat, single-engine aircraft manufactured in Italy.
The planes are commonly used to train military aviators in essential flying skills, including navigation, formation flying and aircraft handling.
During formation exercises, pilots must maintain precise distances and positions relative to other aircraft, making coordination especially important when flying close together.
Although footage appears to show the aircraft colliding during such a maneuver, investigators have not determined whether pilot error, mechanical problems or another factor contributed to the accident.
The crash is particularly troubling because it follows other fatal incidents involving the same type of aircraft.
In May 2026, two Philippine Air Force pilots died when an SF-260 crashed in a mountainous area of Benguet province in the northern Philippines during a navigation training exercise.
The victims were identified as an instructor pilot and a student aviator.
Another deadly SF-260 accident occurred in January 2023, when a military training aircraft crashed in Bataan province, killing both pilots aboard.
Those earlier accidents have raised additional concerns about the safety of the Philippine military’s aging training fleet.
However, officials have not suggested that the three incidents share a common cause.
The latest accident has prompted the military to suspend all SF-260 operations as a precaution while aviation specialists examine the wreckage, maintenance records and circumstances surrounding Friday’s flight.
Authorities have not announced when the aircraft will be cleared to return to service.
The grounding could temporarily affect pilot training activities, although the Philippine Air Force has not disclosed how many SF-260 aircraft remain in its inventory.
The military has relied on the planes for decades, using them not only to train aviators but also in limited combat operations.
During the 2017 battle for Marawi City, Philippine forces deployed SF-260 aircraft to support operations against militants who had seized parts of the southern city.
The latest loss comes as the Philippines continues efforts to modernize its military amid rising regional security concerns and longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Training new pilots remains an important part of those modernization efforts, making Friday’s accident a significant setback for the country’s air force.
For now, however, attention remains focused on the four aviators who lost their lives.
The Philippine Air Force has promised a thorough investigation and said its immediate priority is supporting the victims’ families while ensuring the safety of other military personnel.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.