TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the search for the flight recorder continues, the military is not ruling out the possibility that a bird strike caused the crash of a Brave Eagle Advanced Jet Trainer into the ocean last Saturday.
The accident marked the first crash involving the domestically developed jet since its introduction. Both engines failed during the flight, prompting concerns about potential design or operational issues. The Air Force, which has ordered 66 Brave Eagles from Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), has grounded all 40 jets already delivered as a precaution.
The pilot, Air Force Major-in-training Lin Wei (林瑋), was discharged from Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taitung on Monday. Lin told investigators that before the crash, he did not experience any impact or detect a burning smell inside the cockpit, per Radio Taiwan International.
Preliminary findings indicate that weather conditions were suitable for flight on Saturday morning and that the aircraft and its engines had no known prior malfunctions. Investigators noted that a simultaneous loss of power in both engines is extremely rare, raising the possibility of external factors such as a bird strike.
While the military has not provided a specific timeline for resuming Brave Eagle flights, officials stated the investigation would not take long and would not significantly disrupt pilot training. However, poor weather over the weekend has complicated efforts to recover the aircraft and its flight recorder.
