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| Bukidnon Crash
Toll Reaches 18 |
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| Plane Crash |
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NICHOLS FIELD, April 29-Civil aviation
investigators and aviation experts blamed" pilot error' yesterday for
the crash of an Indonesian Fokker Friendship plane in Malayabalay, Bukdnon
Wednesday afternoon. Seventeen persons, most of them executives and
employees of the Philippine Air Lines, died in the accident . only two of
the 19 persons aboard survived. CAA probers and
aviation men based their conclusion on the statement of one of the
survivors, R. Budiarto, an Indonesian CAA official and a local CAA
caretaker in Bukidnon, who said that the plane took off with only the left
engine functioning. The plane crashed seconds after takeoff about 800
meters away from the airport. CAA probers said that strong wind over the
Malaybalay airport prevented the aircraft from gaining altitude as only
one of its engine was functioning. Budiarto, who was
airlifted to Manila yesterday together with another survivor, Lambertis
Hokker, of New Amsterdam, Netherlands, said that the pilot of the
ill-fated aircraft, Capt.Peter Brey stopped the right engine during
takeoff. He said that he warned Brey not to takeoff with only one engine
as it was risky here to the strong winds prevailing at takeoff time . |
| Crash Toll Reaches 18 |
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The casualty toll in Thursday's Fokker plane
crash in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, rose to 18 yesterday when Capt .Lambertis
Hokker,44, one of the two survivors, succumbed to third degree burns at
the Bukidnon Provincial Hospital. Hokker's death leaves Director
R.Budiarto of the Indonesian Civil Aviation as the lone survivor of the
tragedy which snuffed out the lives of ranking official of the Philippine
Air Lines and the Fokker firm. |
| Indonesian Probers |
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Meanwhile , there Indonesian civil and
military aviation experts arrived here yesterday to coordinate with local
civil aviation officials in probing the crash of the Indonesian registered
Fokker plane . The Indonesian investigation director: capt.F.J Repon
, and W.B.K.L Sepang. The fokker friendship plane ,was reported
owned by the Indonesian State Oil Company on demonstration for Philippine
Air Lines when it crashed in to a canyon, two kilometers west of the
Malaybalay Airport. |
| Ablan Meeting |
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The three aviation experts were met at the
Manila International Airport by Capt. Federco R. Ablan Jr.deputy CAA
director, and Henry Perez, CAA safety rules and regulation deputy chief,
shortly upon their arrival, the Indonesian aviation probers conferred with
CAA authorities here. Ablan said than as of today CAA investigators
still were working on the case and there was no official finding vet as to
cause of the crash. The join investigation old local CAA and
Indonesian aviation authorities will start on Tuesday. Meanwhile,
abaln clarified news report publisher in several morning dailies that the
ill-fate Fokker plane took off with only one engine. |
| Impossible |
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Both Arlan and Indonesian Civil Aviation
Director Barkah agreed that a two-engine plane cannot take off with one
engine only. " It is impossible " ablan said. Ablan said it was
possible that the ill-fate plane was already gaining altitude when the
pilot stopped the other engine and tried to gain more altitude with only
one engine . " A two-engine plane will never take off from the runway
with only from the runway with only one engine working ." according
to Perez. |
| Witness Story |
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Adolfo Sultan, 24, a CAA employee in
Malaybalay , told investigators that he saw the plane land shortly after 5
p.m. Immediately upon reaching the end of the runway the aircraft turned
around and reportedly took off again. |