The following wreckage was found by residents of the neighborhood where the trainer crashed.
Update: Local media reporting that the crash may have involved the Taiwanese Air Force Aerobatics Team. This is developing.
An hour ago, local media in Gangshan District, Kaohsiung City reported that a Taiwanese AT-3 jet trainer crashed at approximately 0808 local time.
The flight of five AT-3s took off at 0803. The training flight was being conducted near Tainan Xigan when at 0808 one of the jets disappeared off of flight tracking data. Only four AT-3 returned to the nearby military training field. It is not clear how the aircraft crashed and the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense has not released a statement.
The pilot was apparently Lieutenant Xu Dajun, Class 110 of the Air Force Academy, flight number AR32, plane number 0852. This was apparently his second solo flight in the training jet.
The Kaohsiung City Fire Department arrived on scene at Tiancuo 1st Road in Gangshan District and extinguished the fire, where they also located the aviator who was deceased on scene.
The AIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung is an advanced jet trainer operated by the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF). A total of sixty-two aircraft were manufactured by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation of Taiwan in collaboration with American aircraft manufacturer Northrop between 1984 and 1990. Two A-3 single-seat attack version were also built. There have been about 62 of these aircraft built. The last notable crash of this type/model/series was in 2014 when two AT-3s collided mid air resulting in the loss of one aircraft, and no fatalities as both the pilots of the mortally wounded craft safely ejected.
