Haenam County, South Korea: A Chodang University training aircraft crashed in South Korea’s South Jeolla Province on May 23, leaving a flight instructor and a trainee pilot seriously injured while conducting a short training flight between Muan International Airport and Sani Airfield.
According to South Korean authorities and local media reports, the accident occurred at approximately 3:10 p.m. local time near Seokgyo-ri in Munnae-myeon, Haenam County. Emergency services said the aircraft went down in a forested area during a flight operated as part of the university’s pilot training activities.
The aircraft involved was identified as a Diamond DA40NG light trainer aircraft belonging to Chodang University. The Austrian-built four-seat aircraft had departed from Muan International Airport at around 2:40 p.m. and was heading toward Sani Airfield in Haenam, located roughly 40 kilometers away.
Authorities confirmed that only two people were onboard at the time of the accident: a 29-year-old flight instructor and a 24-year-old trainee pilot, both affiliated with Chodang University’s aviation training program.
Fire officials stated that the trainee pilot was rescued conscious from the wreckage, while the instructor was initially found unconscious following the crash. Both sustained serious injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment.
Photographs released by Jeonnam Fire Services Headquarters showed the aircraft heavily damaged after impact, with one wing nearly severed. However, authorities confirmed that no post-crash fire occurred.
Investigators from South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board have launched a formal investigation into the accident. Officials are expected to examine possible operational, mechanical, environmental, and human factors that may have contributed to the crash.
The Diamond DA40NG is widely used by flight schools and aviation universities around the world for pilot training due to its fuel-efficient diesel engine, modern avionics suite, and operational reliability. Chodang University operates aviation and pilot training programs as part of its aerospace and aviation education activities in South Korea.
