PH Air Force Training Aircraft Crash Injures 2 in Benguet

Photo courtesy of Manila Bulletin

Two Philippine Air Force personnel were injured when their training aircraft crashed into a dense forest on Mount Cabuyao, Barangay Poblacion in Tuba, Benguet. The crash occurred on Wednesday, May 20, affecting operations and prompting an immediate response from local authorities.

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The aircraft, a PAF SF260 with tail No.10-39, was conducting a training mission under the call sign Cougar Delta 1. It departed from Basilio Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas. The last recorded position of the aircraft was two nautical miles northwest of Loakan Airport before it vanished from radar.

Lt. Col. Roy Calulot of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera confirmed that 1st Lt. Ruth Angelique R. Pasos was among the injured, though her companion's identity remains undisclosed. Local police, fire protection, and disaster response teams quickly arrived at the site to rescue the personnel.

The plane crash was reported to police by the barangay chairman at around 11:40 p.m., after the aircraft went down at 10:20 a.m. Authorities have yet to reveal the condition of the injured personnel or the cause of the crash. An investigation is actively ongoing to determine further details.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Manila Bulletin · 20 May 2026