Two Philippine Navy pilots were killed after a training helicopter crashed during a training flight on April 11, 2024.
In a statement sent to local media, a Philippine Navy spokesperson said that the Robinson R-22 trainer helicopter with tail number NHT-421 attempted to make an emergency landing but crashed near a public Market in Cavite City, 21 kilometers (13 miles) south of Manila at about 06:00 local time.
According to the spokesperson, the helicopter took off from Sangley Point Airport (SGL) and was conducting a training flight with two officer pilots on board. After the crash, the pilots were rushed to nearby hospitals by the responding teams from the Philippine Fleet and Naval Air Wing but both had already perished.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
The R-22 aircraft has a range of 209 nautical miles (241 miles) and a top speed of 96 knots (110 miles per hour. The helicopter involved in the crash is the last R-22 in the Philippine Navy’s fleet.