China is mourning the death of Yu Xu, the country's first female J-10 jet pilot who was killed during an aerobatic training session on Saturday.
Ms Yu was hit by the the wing of another aircraft after ejecting from her plane. The domestically made jet crashed into a field in Tangshan, Hebei province.
"We have lost a comrade and the air force feels great pain and sadness for Yu Xu's sacrifice," air force spokesman Shen Jinke said.
According to reports, Ms Yu was forced to eject from her plane after it collided with another.
Another pilot, 35, survived the crash. He is said to have been her co-pilot and has already been discharged from hospital, the Beijing News reported.
The black box and the engine of the aircraft have been retrieved and an investigation is underway.
Ms Yu, from Sichuan province, joined the air force in 2005. She was the first of four female pilots to qualify to fly the two-seater, multi-role J-10 fighter jet.
"I am very lucky that I can fly," Ms Yu had said in an interview. "I don't need to think about anything but flying. If possible, I can look at the skies to divert my attention. It is another world. It's wonderful."
Many netizens expressed sadness at the sudden death of Ms Yu, who was affectionately known as "golden peacock".
China is mourning the death of Yu Xu, the country's first female J-10 jet pilot who was killed during an aerobatic training session on Saturday.
