The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is looking into materials, meteorological, and human factors in determining the cause of Wednesday’s crash of a Siai-Marchetti SF-260TP turboprop light attack aircraft that killed two pilots.
In an interview with reporters on Thursday, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said aircraft accident investigation teams have secured the crash site in Sitio Tabon, Barangay Del Rosario in Pilar town, Bataan as the probe is ongoing.
For the material angle, she said this would be investigated by examining recovered aircraft components and the last transmissions made by the pilots before the actual crash landing. This is to determine if there were problems encountered during the flight.
She noted that while the remaining SF-260TPs would be grounded while the investigation is ongoing, the PAF has sufficient aircraft at hand to conduct close-air support missions.
As of this time, Castillo said, the PAF has four remaining SF-260TPs in its inventory. She, however, noted that more training versions or models of the aircraft are being used in basic training and flight schools. While she did not identify the two pilots killed in the crash, the PAF spokesperson said they have the rank of captain. Joel Zurbano
Authorities on Thursday meanwhile resumed the search and rescue operation for the missing Cessna plane in the province of Isabela.
The RPC1174 plane with six persons on board went missing following its departure from Cauayan Airport on Tuesday.
Personnel from the 95th Infantry ‘Salaknib’ Battalion, Maconacon Police Station, and Philippine National Police (PNP) Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) are racing against time to find the plane and its passengers in the aerial and ground search operations.
The search and rescue team suspended its operation last Wednesday due the bad weather condition in the area, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the plane left Cauayan Airport but did not arrive at its destination in Maconacon. Joel Zurbano