Crash of a De Havilland DHC-7-102 in Manila

Date & Time: Sep 5, 2002 at 1820 LT
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C2788
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manila - Caticlan
MSN:
89
YOM:
1982
Flight number:
RIT897
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Manila-Ninoy Aquino Airport at 1536LT on a schedule flight to Caticlan with 45 passengers and four crew members. On approach to Caticlan, the crew encountered technical problems with the hydraulic system and could not lowered the right main gear that remained stuck in its wheel well. The captain decided to return to Manila and followed a holding pattern to burn fuel. After touchdown on runway 24, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right and came to rest in a grassy area. All 49 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The hydraulic pump on engine n°3 and 4 failed, causing a loss of hydraulic pressure on the secondary hydraulic system that dropped almost to zero.

Crash of a Beechcraft H18 off Manila

Date & Time: Nov 21, 2001 at 1715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
RP-C692
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Taytay – Manila
MSN:
BA-763
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Taytay-Sandoval-Cesar Lim Rodriguez Airport on a charter flight to Manila, carrying one passenger and two pilots. While approaching Manila, the left engine failed. The crew informed ATC about his situation and continued the descent to Manila when, shortly later, the right engine lost power. Unable to maintain the assigned altitude, the crew attempted to ditch the aircraft in the bay of Manila, about 3 km offshore. The aircraft floated for few minutes, allowing all three occupants to evacuate the cabin. Few minutes later, the aircraft sank and all three occupants were rescued. The wreckage was not recovered.
Probable cause:
It was reported that white smoke was coming out from the left engine during the descent, forcing the crew to shut it down and feathering its propeller. Due to lack of evidences because the wreckage was not found, the exact cause of the engine failure could not be determined.

Crash of a GAF Nomad N.22C off Cagayancillo: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 2000 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
86
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cagayancillo – Puerto Princesa
MSN:
86
YOM:
1979
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Cagayancillo Airport, the pilot reported engine problems and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. On final approach, the aircraft was not properly aligned so the captain increased engine power and initiated a go-around. The aircraft lost height and crashed in the sea about 2 km offshore. A passenger was rescued while 14 other occupants were killed, among them General Santiago Madrid, Chief of the southwestern military command.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Boeing 737-200 in Davao City: 131 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 2000 at 0701 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C3010
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Manila - Davao City
MSN:
21447
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
2P541
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
124
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
131
Aircraft flight hours:
68475
Aircraft flight cycles:
79522
Circumstances:
The aircraft was being flown as a route check for for a captain. Another captain was acting as Pilot Monitoring on the flight. The en route part of the flight was uneventful. The aircraft was conducting an ILS approach to runway 05 and the controller reported that they would be behind Philippine Airlines flight 809, an Airbus A319. As the Boeing 737 broke out of clouds, the A319 was observed on runway 05. The Pilot Flying informed ATC of his intention to perform a 360° maneuver, but the Pilot Monitoring advised ATC of the opposite, stating that the aircraft would turn right instead of following the missed approach procedure, which called for a left hand turn to a 020° heading. The aircraft re-entered clouds and attempted to fly visually at a lower altitude in instrument conditions when in fact it should have climbed to 4,000 feet. The flight continued over Samal Island and the flight requested a VOR/DME approach and landing in the opposite direction (runway 23), which was approved by the controller. After having aligned with the runway heading, the aircraft descended below the normal glide path for this approach. It continued down to 570 feet at a point where the aircraft should have been at 1,500 feet. The aircraft crashed into a coconut plantation on a hillside in Barangay San Isidro, disintegrated and caught fire. All 131 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E near Kasibu: 17 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1999 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C3883
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Manila - Cauayan
MSN:
89 22 28
YOM:
1989
Flight number:
RIT100
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total flying hours:
10000
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Manila-Ninoy Aquino Airport at 0834LT and was supposed to arrive at Cauayan Airport at 0940LT. At 0919LT, the crew reported his position 96 km from the destination. As he encountered favorable winds, the captain informed ATC about an ETA three minutes earlier at 0937LT. At 0930LT, while flying in clouds, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Kasibu, about 77 km southwest of Cauayan Airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 17 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F in Subic Bay

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1999 at 2357 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N581FE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Shanghai – Subic Bay
MSN:
48419
YOM:
1990
Flight number:
FDX087
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14000
Captain / Total hours on type:
1430.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
5700
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2300
Aircraft flight hours:
30278
Aircraft flight cycles:
5817
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Shanghai-Hongqiao Airport at 2116LT on a cargo flight to Subic Bay with a load of electronics and garments. Weather conditions at Subic Bay Airport was at follow: scattered at 1,800 feet and 7,000 feet, light rain, wind calm and visibility six km. At 2315LT, the aircraft landed on runway 07 (2,400 metres long). Unable to stop within the remaining distance (the runway was wet), the aircraft overran and plunged in the Subic Bay. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
The failure of the flight crew to properly address an erroneous airspeed indication during descent and landing, their failure to verify and select the correct airspeed by checking the standby airspeed indicator, and their failure to execute a missed approach. These failures led to an excessive approach and landing speed that resulted in a runway overshoot. Contributing factors to the accident were clogged pitot tube drain holes, the MD-11's insufficient alerting system for airspeed anomalies, and the failure of the SEL ELEV FEEL MAN and SEL FLAP LIM OVR D checklists to refer the crew to the standby airspeed indicator.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-117D Super DC-3S in Santa Rosa

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1999 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C473
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lipa City - Manila
MSN:
43327
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Lipa City Airport on a flight to Manila and should be delivered to Crown Cargo Express for several missions. On approach to Ninoy Aquino Airport, the crew informed ATC about engine problems. The captain attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft struck power cables and crashed in a rice paddy field located in Santa Rosa, about 25 km south of the airport. All nine occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine problems for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Beechcraft C90 King Air near Mankayan: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1999 at 0645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C990
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Poro Point – Mankayan
MSN:
LJ-247
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While descending to Mankayan Airport on a flight from Poro Point, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with rain falls and limited visibility. The crew just requested the last weather bulletin for Mankayan when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and crashed about 20 km from Mankayan. All eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew descended below the minimum prescribed altitude in IMC conditions.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander off Coron: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1999
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C471
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
473
YOM:
1975
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Coron. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of an Airbus A320-214 in Bacolod: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1998 at 1941 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C3222
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Manila - Bacolod
MSN:
708
YOM:
1997
Flight number:
PR137
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
124
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
5048
Captain / Total hours on type:
74.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2886
Copilot / Total hours on type:
147
Aircraft flight hours:
1240
Aircraft flight cycles:
1070
Circumstances:
Flight PR137 was a regular scheduled passenger flight and departed Manila for Bacolod at 18:40. The airplane departed with the thrust reverser of engine n°1 inoperative. At 19:20, PR137 called Bacolod Approach Control and reported passing FL260 and 55 DME to Bacolod . The crew then requested landing instructions and was instructed to descend to FL90 after passing Iloilo and descend to 3,000 feet for a VOR runway 04 approach. Wind was 030° at 08 kts, altimeter 1014 mbs, transition level at FL60 and temperature at 28°C. At 19:28, the flight requested to intercept the final approach to runway 04 and Approach Control replied "PR 137 visual approach on final". At 19:37, Bacolod Tower cleared the flight to land at runway 04 and the clearance was acknowledged by the pilot. The approach was flown with the Autothrust system was engaged in SPEED mode. The thrust lever of engine no.1 was left in Climb detent. Upon touchdown the first officer called out "no spoilers, no reverse, no decel". Engine no.2 was set to full reverse thrust after touchdown, but the engine no .1 thrust lever was not retarded to idle and remained in the climb power position. Consequently, the spoilers did not deploy. Because one engine was set to reverse, the autothrust system automatically disengaged. With the autothrust disengaged, no. 1 engine thrust increased to climb thrust. Due to the asymmetrical thrust condition, the A320 ran off the right side of the runway. At this speed, rudder and nosewheel steering are ineffective. Engine no.2 was moved out of reverse up to more than 70 percent N1 and the airplane swerved back onto the runway. The A320 continued past the runway end. The aircraft hit the airport perimeter fence and then jumped over a small river. It continued to slice through a hallow block fence where it went through several clusters of shanties and trees. No fire ensued after the crash.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident was the inability of the pilot flying to assess properly the situational condition of the aircraft immediately upon touch down with n°1 engine reverse inoperative, thereby causing an adverse flight condition of extreme differential power application during the landing roll resulting in runway excursion and finally an overshoot. Contributory to this accident is the apparent lack of technical systems knowledge and lack of appreciation of the disastrous effects of misinterpreting provisions and requirements of a Minimum Equipment List (MEL).
Final Report: