Four pilots killed in Philippine air force training crash

On Friday, October 23, 2026, four pilots were killed when two Philippine Air Force training aircraft collided in mid-air. The incident occurred at approximately 15:51 local time at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas province, located south of Manila.

The military confirmed that the two single-engine propeller-driven SF-260 aircraft were engaged in a low-altitude training exercise when they collided. Both planes crashed within the perimeter of the military facility. Colonel Alvin Jay Capinquian, the Philippine Air Force spokesperson, confirmed that all four crew members on board the aircraft perished in the crash. There were no reports of casualties or injuries on the ground despite the severity of the accident.

Emergency services were mobilized immediately following the crash. An investigation into the circumstances of the mid-air collision is expected to follow, as military authorities examine the technical and operational factors that led to the tragedy.