Four Philippine Air Force pilots were killed after two military training aircraft collided mid-air and crashed on Friday, October 23, 2026 at an air base south of Manila. The Philippine Air Force confirmed the deaths on Saturday, October 24, as authorities tried to determine the origin of the deadly accident.
The incident took place at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas province. The aircraft involved were two SF-260 trainer planes that went down within the air base's perimeter during a training flight.
What happened during the Training Flight?
According to the Philippine Air Force, the accident happened at 3:51 p.m. local time on Friday. Both aircraft crashed in the base premises and killed four pilots onboard, according to sources.
Local media reports and video footage showed that the planes collided while airborne before crashing. The collision was not yet resolved, the officials said.
We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones of those killed yesterday as an aviation accident, the Philippine Air Force said.
The identities of the four pilots had not been made public in the initial official statement. The Air Force said it was working with their families and requested privacy for them during this difficult time.
No Other Casualties Reported
There were no additional casualties, authorities said. Both aircraft were down within the air base’s boundaries, so there was little impact beyond the personnel who were involved.
Emergency response measures were immediately implemented after the incident to secure the area and assess the situation. The military has not disclosed what happened last minute on the flight.
Investigators will analyze the collision and whether there were operational, technical or other factors that contributed to the crash.
Philippine Air Force Grounds SF-260 Fleet
Following the crash, the Philippine Air Force temporarily grounded its remaining SF-260 aircraft as a precautionary safety measure.
The SF-260 is a single-engine training aircraft for military pilots. The grounding will allow officials to look at safety concerns while the investigation continues. The Air Force has not disclosed how many aircraft of this kind are still in service.
It's important because trainer aircraft are the backbone for military flying skills that are to be learned from the training program. So whether or not the fleet is released to service will depend on the safety review and the relevant advice from the authorities.
Four Philippine Air Force (PAF) pilots were killed when two SF-260 aircraft collided midair during a training flight at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas, on Friday afternoon. The #PAF confirmed that the collision occurred at 3:51 p.m., causing both aircraft to crash within the air . #PAF #SF260
— Zest (@Zest328117) October 24, 2026
Investigation Underway
The cause of the mid-air collision is not yet clear. There was no immediate word of a technical problem, flight manoeuvre, communication problems or other possible reasons, officials did not say.
Before drawing conclusions, investigators will need to establish the sequence of events. Until an official finding is made public, the cause of the problem should be treated as unconfirmed.
The crash is now another major blow for the Philippine military and it has to keep and modernize its aircraft fleet and keep up with operating pressures.
Families Grieve Four Pilots.
The Philippine Air Force has expressed its condolences and said it is providing assistance to the bereaved families. There are risks in military flight training in the case of aircraft and they are able to be kept close to one another during exercises.
At this stage the priority is to support the families, inform them about the facts and identify what they need to do to prevent a similar accident.
This remains under investigation and further details will be released when the authorities have verified what we have.
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