Two pilots killed in Taiwan military training plane crash

Two Taiwanese Air Force pilots were killed Tuesday when a military training aircraft crashed during a simulated engine failure exercise at Gangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's southern port city.

The defense ministry confirmed the deaths in a statement, identifying the pilots as Lieutenant Colonels Lu and Guo.

What caused the Taiwan military training plane crash?

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Taiwan's Air Force has formed a task force to determine what went wrong during the exercise.

The T-34 propeller aircraft went down at 8:08 a.m. local time (0008 GMT) at the northern end of the base's runway. No further details have been released.

Which aircraft was involved in the crash?

The plane that crashed was a Beechcraft T-34, a single-engine propeller aircraft used as the primary trainer for Taiwanese Air Force pilots.

Taiwan first received the aircraft in 1984. The defense ministry lists the T-34 as the standard platform for initial pilot training across the Air Force.

How did Taiwan's president respond to the crash?

President Lai Ching-te said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss. He described the two pilots as "heroic" and thanked them for their sacrifice and dedication to Taiwan. An Air Force spokesperson declined to provide additional details when contacted by AFP.

Is this Taiwan's first military aircraft crash in 2026?

No. In January, an F-16 fighter jet crashed into the sea off eastern Taiwan during a routine training mission. The pilot is believed to have ejected but has not been found.

Tuesday's T-34 crash marks the second fatal military aviation incident in Taiwan this year.