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The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said three SF260 turboprop light attack trainer aircraft were grounded after one crashed in Bataan on Wednesday morning.

In a radio interview, Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, Philippine Air Force spokesperson said four SF260TP aircraft were added in the inventory of the PAF since 1992.

"This specific SF260 turboprop attack aircraft, we have four of them in our inventory. For now we three left, although we also have a version used for training," she added.

Castillo said upon checking the radio transmission in the Manila tower, the PAF learned that the pilot of SF260 had inished its training flight and was about to return to their base on Cavite when the incident happened.

"Yesterday we knew that there was transmission that they are on their way back to the base and they have completed the training flight, The Manila tower also has a detection approach to them, but unfortunately right now we cannot yet complete the scenario because the investigation is still ongoing," she said.

Castillo added although the aircraft doesn't have an "ejection mechanism", pilots can still jump out from the plane. But she said that based on their standard operating procedure (SOP), the pilot should also lead the aircraft to a safe and clear landing zone to prevent further damage to properties and lives of civilians.

"Usually if you are in an SF260, you should be equipped with a parachute for possible ejection from the aircraft whenever there’s an emergency, but our SOP is to lead the aircraft to a safe and clear landing zone before they can do the last resort to eject," she said.

"Our aircraft doesn't have an ejection mechanism but the procedure is they should be equipped with parachutes then the canopy should be open for them to bail out. However, in long history of this aircraft in the Air Force, no one attempted to bail out during an emergency because we are trained in this kind of emergency that would warrant an emergency landing," she added.

Castillo said the body of the two airmen who died have arrived in Villamor Air Base on Wednesday night.

The Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) expressed sympathies to the families of the pilot of Philippine Air Force light attack trainer plane who died in the crash on Wednesday.

In a statement, DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong said it offers its deepest sympathies and sincerest condolences to the bereaved families of the pilots who perished in the SF260TP mishap in Pilar, Bataan.

Col. Medel Aguilar, AFP spokesman, reiterated that while investigation is ongoing "all the SF260 are now grounded for the safety of the airmen." Robina Asido/DMS