US Air Force plane encounters ‘landing incident’ during joint drill

An aircraft of the US Air Force had a “landing incident” during a joint exercise in Laoac, Pangasinan on Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said.

In a statement, the AFP Public Affairs Office said a USAF C-146 Wolfhound aircraft that was participating in a joint roadway landing exercise was involved in the mishap.

“All pilots and crew were immediately accounted for and are safe. No civilians were injured,” the military said.

“The activity was conducted in a controlled training environment as part of ongoing efforts to enhance interoperability and preparedness for humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and national defense operations,” it added.

The AFP said the incident is currently being investigated and assured that it will provide more details as appropriate. 

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. witnessed the highway landing operation exercise between the US Special Tactics Team and the AFP Special Operations Forces.

The DND said the drill featured the landing of a C-146 Wolfhound aircraft operated by the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), “marking the first highway landing operation in the Philippines and only the second in Asia.”

“This milestone reflects the continued commitment of the Philippines and the United States to deepen defense cooperation and strengthen combined readiness in support of regional security,” it added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News