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AT-5 Brave Eagle trainer crashes off Taiwan due to engine failure

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AT-5 Brave Eagle trainer crashes off Taiwan due to engine failure
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T-5 Brave Eagle | Wikipedia

A Taiwanese AT-5 Brave Eagle trainer jet crashed on February 15 after taking off from Chihhang Air Base in southern Taitung. The crash occurred off Taiwan's east coast due to the failure of both Honeywell/ITEC F124-200TW turbofan engines, prompting Major-in-Training Lin Wei to eject from the aircraft. Lin was safely recovered but experienced mild hypothermia and was hospitalized for observation.

The incident involved one of the 66 AT-5 Brave Eagles ordered by Taiwan, with 41 delivered so far. This particular aircraft had logged 183 hours of flight time. The AT-5 is an advanced jet trainer based on the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo fighter jet, featuring improvements for easier handling.

The engine failure that led to the crash was attributed to a malfunction in both Honeywell/ITEC F124 turbofans. These engines are derivatives of the Honeywell TFE731 used in business jets and are employed in other trainer jets such as the Aero L-159 ALCA and Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master. According to Honeywell, the F124/F125 engine family has over one million operating hours and features advanced digital controls and monitoring systems.

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In a report by Taipei Times on February 17, retired Republic of China Air Force Lieutenant General Chang Yen-ting and Shu Hsiao-huang suggested that "a broken fan blade from one of the plane's two engines accidentally hitting the other could have been a potential cause." They noted that bird strikes or similar incidents were unlikely to affect both engines simultaneously unless both were hit.

This ejection marked the 7777th life saved by Martin-Baker using their X12J Ejection Seat, known for its adaptability across various speeds and altitudes. The seat is also used in Harrier variants and the F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo fighter jet.

Taiwan's air force relies on a robust training pipeline supported by reliable trainers like the AT-5 Brave Eagle, aiming to replace older models like the AT-3 and F-5 jets from previous decades. With increasing incursions into Taiwan’s airspace by China's air forces, maintaining operational readiness remains crucial.

Taiwan continues to face geopolitical tensions with China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan despite no formal declaration of independence from Taipei. In response, Taiwan's air force is bolstering its capabilities with upgrades like enhanced F-16Vs while preparing for potential threats.

The crash represents an anomaly amid these efforts, with speculation pointing toward mechanical failure as a possible cause. Ensuring fleet readiness remains a priority as Taiwan addresses ongoing challenges in its air defense strategy.

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