A military pilot and his student were killed in a crash during a training mission Friday evening near Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama. The pilot was identified at Scot Ames, Jr., 24, from Pekin, Ind., near Louisville.

The student was part of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force. His name has not yet been released. But, Col. Seth Graham of the 50th Flying Training Squadron, of Columbus, Miss., said in a Sunday news conference the man was 25 years old.

Pekin was stationed in Columbus, Miss.

The Air Force is investigating the cause of the crash. That determination could take months.

The plane was a T-38 trainer.

“Every weekend it’s part of our syllabus for our students to do what is called a cross-country training mission where they fly away from Columbus around the area to get training at other airfields and how to spend the night somewhere and recover their aircraft,” said Graham.

He was not familiar with Ames’ flight plan or course, nor was he knowledgeable about the duo’s mission.

Graham said everyone on the squadron is family and their loss will be keenly felt.