Taiwan has suspended all flights of T-34C training aircraft indefinitely after a crash that killed two pilots.
According to the Taipei Times, the incident occurred on June 2 near the Gangshan airbase in Kaohsiung city.
Air Force Commander General Major Jiang Yichen stated that all T-34C operations have been halted while the cause is investigated. Pilots are temporarily using simulators for training.
Both crew members were experienced aviation specialists performing a complex exercise simulating an engine failure. The aircraft had passed a safety inspection on April 9 and no serious defects were recorded since then.
Jiang added that the pilots did not report any malfunctions, and weather conditions including visibility were favorable for flight. A special task force has been formed to investigate the causes of the crash.
