In brief
Four Philippine Air Force pilots died when two SF-260 trainers collided on Friday, 23 October 2026, at 3.51pm local time, at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City.
The air force has temporarily grounded all SF-260 trainers pending the investigation, according to spokesperson Colonel Alvin Jay Capinguian.
An SF-260 crash in May killed two pilots in Benguet province, and a 2023 crash killed two crew members in Bataan province.
- 2023SF-260 TP Marchetti crashes during a training flight in Bataan, killing two crew members
- May 2026SF-260 crashes in mountainous Benguet province during navigation training, killing two pilots
- 23 OctTwo SF-260 trainers collide mid-air at Fernando Air Base, killing four pilots
The collision
Two Philippine Air Force trainer aircraft collided in mid-air on Friday, 23 October 2026, during a training flight at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas province, south of Manila. The air force said the incident happened at 3.51pm local time. Both aircraft were SF-260 light trainers, and they came down inside the perimeter of the base. Two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorised to discuss the matter, said the planes collided while in flight. The air force has not said which unit the pilots belonged to.
Four deaths and the crash site
All four pilots on board were killed, and the air force has not disclosed their identities or how many personnel were in each aircraft. No other casualties were reported. A witness told the Associated Press that one of the two aircraft fell near the barracks of military personnel inside the base. The air force issued a press statement confirming the deaths, expressing condolences and saying response teams were activated immediately.
- 2023 crash
- 2 pilots
- May 2026 crash
- 2 pilots
- 23 October 2026 collision
- 4 pilots
Data from the article text
The air force's spokesperson, Colonel Alvin Jay Capinguian, said the cause of the crash was still unknown.
“An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.”
Fleet grounded
The air force has temporarily grounded its entire fleet of SF-260 trainers while the investigation continues. No cause for the collision has been announced. The military has not said how many SF-260 aircraft remain in its inventory. The aircraft were bought in Italy, and the SF-260 is a light aircraft designed by an Italian engineer.
Earlier SF-260 accidents
This is not the first fatal accident involving the type in the Philippines. According to the Associated Press, an SF-260 crashed in May in the mountainous Benguet province in the north of the country during navigation training involving several aircraft, killing two pilots. In 2023, another SF-260 TP Marchetti crashed into a rice field in Bataan province during a training flight, killing two crew members.
Strain on the armed forces
The crash adds to the pressure on a Philippine military that has struggled for years to modernise its air force and navy because of financial constraints. The armed forces are also fighting decades-long communist and Muslim insurgencies, while territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea have become increasingly hostile. The SF-260 was used in a months-long bombing campaign against Islamic State-linked militants who seized parts of Marawi City in the southern Philippines in 2017. Details of Friday's accident are to be established in the ongoing investigation.