A US military transport aircraft struck a concrete barrier while attempting to take off from a roadway in northern Philippines during a training exercise, injuring personnel on board and damaging the aircraft, according to US and Philippine officials.
Philippine police reported that all five US personnel aboard suffered injuries after the incident on a concrete bypass road in Laoac, a town in Pangasinan province. Police said the pilot and two others were transported to a hospital for treatment, while two others received treatment at the site.
In a statement provided to the Associated Press, the command said two service members were transported to a medical facility for medical attention, adding that one has been discharged while the other remains in medical care in stable condition. Indo-Pacific Command said no civilians suffered injuries and said investigators are reviewing the event.
The aircraft operated as part of an “alternate landing zone” drill, a type of training exercise that tests the ability to land and depart from locations other than traditional runways.
Three Philippine officials told AP that the February 24, 2026, exercise was planned and coordinated with civilian, police, and military authorities. They said the training aimed to prepare forces for scenarios in which airports and runways become unusable after disasters such as typhoons or earthquakes.
Officials said the aircraft landed successfully, then swerved during the takeoff attempt and hit a concrete barrier. Authorities have not released a cause and said investigators are still reviewing what triggered the runway excursion.
Philippine officials identified the aircraft as a US Air Force C-146 Wolfhound, a short takeoff-and-landing transport version of the Dornier 328 twin turboprop used for special operations missions.
The public accounts differ on the number of people who required hospital care. Philippine police described three hospital transports, while Indo-Pacific Command reported two.
US forces have repeatedly used aircraft deployments in the Philippines to support humanitarian relief efforts after major storms and other natural disasters, and the alternate landing zone concept aims to preserve airlift capability when conventional infrastructure fails, Philippine officials told AP.
