MANILA: A combination of pilot error and a defective engine caused the crash of a Piper Seneca aircraft carrying Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo off Masbate last August 18, investigators said.
Killed with Robredo in the crash were pilot Jessup Bahinting and student pilot Nepalese Khshitiz Chand. Robredo’s aide Police Senior Inspector Jun Abrasado survived the crash.
The plane was en route to Naga City from the Mactan International Airport in Cebu when it went down off Masbate.
A 14-page draft report of a five-man investigating body created by former Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the pilot lacked proficiency in handling aircraft in abnormal situations.
The report said that five minutes after take-off, the pilot sought permission from air traffic control to climb to 6,500 feet but was instructed to remain at 2,500 feet until 20 miles out.
Four minutes later the pilot reported the aircraft was at 2,300 feet. That was the last recorded communication of the plane with the Mactan air traffic control.
Data gathered by the Manila Area Control Center (MACC) showed that the Piper Seneca aircraft or flight X4431 was at 4,000 feet heading 353 degrees at 407pm. After eight seconds it was still at the same altitude, moving 340 degrees.
The aircraft disappeared from the radar screen for a few seconds and reappeared at an altitude of 3,900 feet at 010 degrees.
“Twenty-four seconds later the aircraft was still at 3,900 feet altitude with a speed of 80 knots. This time the aircraft was 33.7km from Masbate and 91.1km from Mactan. Seconds later the aircraft was monitored at 3,900 feet with speed of 70 knots and heading 345 degrees. This was the last data picked up by MACC before the aircraft disappeared from the radar display,” the report said.
At 4.25pm, the aircraft was reported to have crashed in the waters some 1.1km from the Masbate airport runway 21.
Based on Abrasado’s account, the pilot informed them of engine trouble 23 minutes after takeoff at 3.07pm. “Our propellers might not be able to make it to Naga. Let’s go back to Cebu,” the pilot was quoted as telling his passengers.
But Abrasado said the plane appeared to be flying normally even on one engine. He texted a staff of Robredo requesting for airline booking for the secretary and himself for the next available flight to Manila.
“Later he (Abrasado ) sensed that the plane was changing direction and at the same time noticed an orange indicator on the instrument panel, initially blinking slowly, and later increasingly faster. Suddenly, he heard a noise and saw the right hand propeller stop, at the same time the orange indicator steadily lit,” the report said.
When Abrasado asked if they were returning to Cebu he was told by Bahinting that they were proceeding to Masbate. The captain reportedly told them of his three failed attempts to restart the engine.
The Philippine Star
