A Nigerian Air Force Super Mushshak trainer aircraft was involved in "a minor mishap" on Thursday, but the two pilots on board survived the crash, the Air Force said.

The incident occurred at about 1335 GMT near a military airfield in the northern city of Kaduna as the plane was returning from a routine training flight, Air Force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet said in a statement.

Nigeria Air Force authorities have ordered a preliminary investigation to determine the immediate cause of the crash, the statement said. No further details were provided.

The crash follows a Nigerian Air Force MI-35P helicopter that went down in December and is the third such incident since July.

While Africa's largest economy has had a poor air safety record in the past, it has improved in recent years.

Reuters