Taiwan's Air Force has set up an investigative panel to determine the cause after a T-34 trainer crashed at Kaohsiung Air Base during an engine failure simulation. Taiwan's leader expressed condolences and praised the pilots' sacrifice for the country.
A training aircraft of Taiwan's Air Force crashed within a southern air base during an engine failure drill, resulting in the deaths of both pilots.
According to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense, the incident occurred at 08:08 on 2 June when the T-34 trainer crashed near the northern end of the runway at Gangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung city, killing both pilots at the scene. Authorities only released the ranks and surnames: Lieutenant Colonel Lu and Lieutenant Colonel Kuo.
Following the accident, Taiwan's Air Force promptly established a special task force to investigate the cause. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen expressed sorrow over the loss, praising the two pilots as heroes who selflessly dedicated themselves to protecting Taiwan's security.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Taiwan's Air Force declined to provide further details about the accident while the investigation is ongoing.
Data from Taiwan's Ministry of Defense states that the T-34 trainer, manufactured by Beechcraft, is a single-engine propeller aircraft that has served as the primary training plane for Taiwan’s air force pilots for several decades. This model has been in service in Taiwan since 1984, over 40 years ago.
This accident occurred just months after Taiwan's military faced an F-16 fighter jet crash into the sea east of the island during a routine training mission in January. Reports indicated the pilot ejected from the aircraft, but as of now, the pilot has not been found.
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