Philippines | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Manila-Ninoy Aquino Airport runway 31, while in initial climb, the captain reported technical problems and elected to return for an emergency landing. Finally, he attempted to ditch the aircraft off Manila. While contacting water, the aircraft lost its tail and sank by a depth of about 15 metres. Fifteen people were rescued while 19 others were killed, among them a crew member.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine during initial climb for unknown reasons. It was reported that thick black smoke was coming out from the left engine shortly after liftoff.

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

Date & Time: Sep 5, 2002 at 1820 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-7 (Dash-7)

Operator:

Registration:

RP-C2788

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Manila - Caticlan

MSN:

YOM:

1982

Flight number:

RIT897

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Beechcraft H18

Operator:

Commuter Air Philippines

Registration:

RP-C692

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Taytay – Manila

MSN:

BA-763

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

GAF Nomad N.22

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Cagayancillo – Puerto Princesa

MSN:

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Boeing 737-200

Operator:

Registration:

RP-C3010

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Manila - Davao City

MSN:

21447

YOM:

1978

Flight number:

2P541

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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:

Let L-410

Operator:

Registration:

RP-C3883

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Manila - Cauayan

MSN:

89 22 28

YOM:

1989

Flight number:

RIT100

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

McDonnell Douglas MD-11

Operator:

Registration:

N581FE

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Shanghai – Subic Bay

MSN:

48419

YOM:

1990

Flight number:

FDX087

Location:

Subic Bay, Olongapo (Cubi Point NAS)

Bataan

Country:

Philippines

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Douglas C-117 Skytrain

Operator:

Registration:

RP-C473

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lipa City - Manila

MSN:

43327

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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:

Beechcraft 90 King Air

Operator:

Registration:

RP-C990

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Poro Point – Mankayan

MSN:

LJ-247

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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.