2 Taiwan air force pilots die in T-34C crash, spurring probe and debate over aircraft

A Taiwanese air force aircraft crashed during a training mission on Tuesday, killing two experienced pilots and prompting renewed scrutiny of the island’s ageing fleet of T-34 basic trainers.

The T-34C aircraft went down at about 8.08am at Gangshan Air Base in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, while conducting a simulated engine-failure exercise, according to the island’s air force.

Both pilots on board, Lieutenant Colonel Kuo Chun-nan and Lieutenant Colonel Lu Chi-yu, were killed.

Peace is a ‘common wish’: Taiwan opposition leader meets Xi Jinping in Beijing in rare visit

The air force said the aircraft, bearing the tail number 3414, crashed near the northern end of the runway at the Air Force Academy, and that the cause was still being investigated.

Defence ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang said Air Force Commander Cheng Jung-feng had rushed to the scene while Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung ordered a thorough investigation and instructed the military to provide full support to the families of the pilots who died.

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te expressed condolences to the families and directed the defence ministry to establish a task force to determine the cause of the accident as quickly as possible.

“We must fully assist the families and thoroughly clarify the cause of the crash to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” Lai said.

According to local news media, Kuo, 46, graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2004 and had more than 2,172 flight hours on the T-34. Lu, 41, graduated in 2008 and had logged more than 2,114 hours on the aircraft. Both were married and were considered experienced instructor pilots.

South China Morning Post