Navy Resumes P-3CK Maritime Patrol Aircraft Test Flights After 15 Months

The Navy announced on August 27 that it will resume test flights of the P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft starting September 1, following a suspension after a crash on May 29 last year.

The Navy stated, "Prior to this test flight, we conducted a thorough assessment of the entire P-3CK aircraft under the supervision of the U.S. Navy to confirm that there were no issues. We also enhanced flight safety measures, including repositioning the angle of attack indicator and installing a stall warning device to prevent stalling."

Additionally, the Navy evaluated the overall readiness of the crew, including training and psychological stability, and has strengthened pilot training.

Once the test flights are completed, training flights will follow, and the mission of the seven P-3CK aircraft will be resumed after confirming flight stability.

The P-3CK aircraft crashed during takeoff training near Pohang Gyeongju Airport (Navy Pohang Air Base) on May 29 last year, losing lift and entering a stall condition.

All four occupants, including two officers serving as pilot and co-pilot and two non-commissioned officers serving as tactical crew members, were killed in the incident.

Following the accident, the Navy conducted an investigation, including a simulation of the situation using a P-3 aircraft training simulator for about six months. However, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined, as the aircraft was not equipped with a flight data recorder (FDR), and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was damaged.