ISPR further stated that the plane crashed because of technical problems.
The military said in a statement a "small two-seater Mushshak aircraft on a routine training flight crashed due to technical fault near Gujranwala," 151 kilometres southeast of Islamabad.
"Both the pilots embraced shahadat (martyrdom)", it added.
The plane caught fire after the crash, sources said.
Police and army officials have reached the site of the crash and cordoned off the area while a rescue operation is underway.
The Pakistan army uses Mushshak aircraft to train pilots commissioned in its aviation wing.
The aircraft, which is manufactured indigenously, is a big source of export earnings for Pakistan and sold to several Middle Eastern countries.
The exact cost of the aircraft and number sold have not been made public.
COMMENTS (27)
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@jibran. Pathetic remark devoid of any sense and occasion. It is one of the finest aircraft. By the way just few weeks back US made indian airforce C 130 crashed and nobody made such sick remarks.
@Jibran: I would trust a Pakistani made car or airplane over that made in many other countries! When there is an Airbus or Boeing Crash, do you stop all air travel since these are the two major air manufacturers in the world and they have had crashes too? PS I love my Pakistan made car and I prefer it to any other car !
Assad : Understand the facts before posting please. These are not jets. They are what we call primary trainers which are propeller aircraft. The plane most likely went down due to pilot error (given this was a training sortie) as these aircraft are made in Pakistan to international standards and get very regular maintenance. In all of the years of flying Mushak and Super Mushak, both Pakistan Army and Air Force have had a very low accident rate.
**@ Assad: Hats off to your confidence that despite your clear naivety regarding the subject being discussed you rebuff other people's opinions.
The crash did not happen in a training flight as the press release stated. The pilots were carrying a test flight of the aircraft after the maintenance. Engine quitted just after take off and pilots had no chance of a successful emergency landing as the overshoot of Gujranwala runway (05 direction) is full of houses and high tension wires.
One of them was an accomplished flying instructor but the nature of emergency did not give them time. Please do not insult the memory of those martyrs by your stupid and uncalled for acquisitions of pilot error.
Last thing, please learn the spellings of the aircraft you are expertly commenting upon (take help of wikipedia).**
Pakistan should along with neighboring countries should design build and operate aircrafts. Instead spending so much resources in building the "bomb". Building aircraft's, will propel countries into cutting edge technologies in many fields. As individual countries may not have the resources, there is need to follow the E.U. example.
The Air-force, the army, the navy, all private companies should make public the crashes that have taken place every year, and give details. This would be important in order to know better why accidents do occur, how to reduce these accidents, how to improve safety, training, maintenance, testing, quality control, knowledge and follow-up is important.
Inna Lillahe WA Inna Ilaihe Rajeoon. Ameen. The Pak Army Aviation needs to upgrade these aircraft, otherwise, their operations will become outmoded like the Sindh Government. Salams
I won't trust a Pakistan made car for safety, let alone an airplane.
@The Economist: I think a lot of people who are commenting here have no understanding that training accidents and technical accidents occur throughout the world and with all air forces. If anything, th Pakistan Air Force remains one of the most respected air forces in the world and has trained many other air forces. It is inherent is this profession as all pilots know. When all western air forces have had training accidents, why do people here single out the Mushak? May the souls of the departed pilots rest in peace - ameen.
@Ashah: Whatever it is, it is better than the junk that you Indians fly and crash day in, day out. Leave us be and show some decency as people grieve over the loss of our brave men in uniform.
Ali you were the bestest of us all from the day one, no body in the world had the guts to take your ever green smile away from you and i can bet if somebody could see your body , no matter what condition it may be in at the moment it still will have that charismatic smile on it. i will miss you being around specially the fact that i cant even come and say you last good bye. It hurts :(
Please don't investigate these crashes, it will demoralize our armed forces moral!
It should have been equipped with pilot ejection facility.
Out here we are taught emergency Decent and landing and we practise that all the time looking at that Plane picture sit seems it the fire that may have killed the Pilots for other than that it looks intact. RIP Musak is an over priced bloated costly training plane based on a swedish Saab . just like the Pakistan Army
Very sad news.
May god give their families strength.
Technical problem means it was your fault.
@Asmarah: Understand the facts before posting please. These are not jets. They are what we call primary trainers which are propeller aircraft. The plane most likely went down due to pilot error (given this was a training sortie) as these aircraft are made in Pakistan to international standards and get very regular maintenance. In all of the years of flying Mushak and Super Mushak, both Pakistan Army and Air Force have had a very low accident rate.
@M: The rescue operation is launched as soon as an aircraft goes down. Its a Standard Operating Procedure. In certain cases the pilots may be injured or others in the surrounding may have got hurt. Its to ensure a timely response to save lives of the pilots and those on the ground.
when bugdet is near more army plane crashes happen every year!! wonder why?
RIP very sorry for the next of kin of the brave pilots.
Both pilots are dead :( What are the rescue operations for then?
We send our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the Pilots families. We sincerely hope that they will the strength to deal with this tragedy.
Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
Best way to scrap da planes... ""The exact cost of the aircraft and number sold have not been made public."" Wat abt pilot's lyf.... all cos of bad conditions of jets :/
may their soul rest in peace
Need to improvement and upgraded before flying
Inna lillahe wa inna allehi rajeoon! May God bless their souls and give patience to their families, RIP martyrs!
Inna Lillahe Wa Inna Illaihe Rajioun
Mashaq either needs to be upgraded or converted into drones...too dated
RIP pilots