Overview
- The T-34C (tail number 3414) crashed near the northern end of the Air Force Academy runway at Gangshan Air Base during a simulated engine-failure exercise at about 8:08 a.m., Tuesday, and both crew members were killed.
- The pilots were identified as Lieutenant Colonel Kuo Chun-nan and Lieutenant Colonel Lu Chi-yu, who local reports say were experienced T-34 instructor pilots with more than 2,000 flight hours each.
- Air Force and Defence Ministry leaders rushed to the scene, ordered a formal investigation and established a task force to determine the cause and provide support to the pilots’ families.
- Officials say the inquiry will focus on possible mechanical failure, maintenance and airworthiness records, and the safety of training procedures for simulated engine-failure exercises.
- The T-34C Mentor is Taiwan’s basic trainer aircraft and the crash has intensified public and institutional scrutiny of the ageing trainer fleet and the case could accelerate reviews of maintenance, training safety and fleet replacement plans.