TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An Air Force pilot died on Monday (May 30) when the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation AT-3 Tzu Chung jet trainer he was flying crashed in southern Taiwan.
Lieutenant Hsu Ta-chun (徐大鈞) from the Air Force Academy class of 2021 took off in his AT-3 trainer with the aircraft registration number AR32, tail number 852, at 8:03 a.m. on Monday morning, reported UDN. Hsu, who was born in 1999, was embarking on his second solo flight when his aircraft disappeared from radar at 8:08 a.m.
Members of the public reported that a small plane had crashed near No. 77 Tiancuo 1st Road in Kaohsiung City's Gangshan District. The Kaohsiung City Fire Bureau stated that at 8:09 a.m. it received a report of a plane crash at Tianchuo 1st Road in Gangshan District.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, flames from the crash had already died down. The body of a male was found at the scene and because he was clearly deceased, paramedics did not transport him to the hospital.
According to a preliminary investigation, 5 AT-3 trainers conducted exercises near Tainan City's Xigang District. When they returned, only four returned safely, and they soon realized one of the pilots was missing.
The Air Force launched a search and rescue mission, but it was soon called off once the crash scene was discovered by Kaohsiung firefighters.
Scene of AT-3 crash. (CNA photo)
Scene of AT-3 crash. (Kaohsiung City Fire Bureau photo)
Scene of AT-3 crash. (CNA photo)
Scene of AT-3 crash. (Kaohsiung City Fire Bureau photo)
Lieutenant Hsu Ta-Chun. (Air Force Command Headquarters photo)
