Crash caused by “Pilot error, fraud”

CEBU, Philippines - Pilot error, insufficiency of experience, connivance and a slew of factors affected the air worthiness of the plane carrying the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo on that fateful day on August 18.

President Benigno Aquino III revealed yesterday the findings of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) which investigated all factors leading to the death of Robredo, Captain Jessup Bahinting and Nepalese pilot trainee Kshitiz Chandz due to the faulty Piper Seneca that fell off the waters of Masbate that Saturday.

The  family of the late Capt. Jessup Bahinting, however, yesterday denied the alleged connivance between the company and the CAAP regarding the air worthiness of the aircraft.

Aquino was sad and disappointed after reading the report submitted by Capt. Amado Soliman, the chief of the CAAP aircraft accident investigation and inquiry board.

Soliman said they inspected “man, machine and management” in tracking the cause of the crash.

“Accordingly, pilot error caused the crash. Pilot Bahinting improperly handled a one-engine inoperative emergency,” Soliman said in his report.

He said Bahinting, who went unscathed in a crash in 2008 in Cebu, only had 17 hours and 54 minutes flying time in the Piper Seneca. Bahinting is also the president and chief executive of Aviatours, which owns the ill-fated airplane.

Soliman explained that Bahinting does not have experience handling a situation where one engine dies mid-air. He noted that Bahinting dropped the flaps of the airplane, which later dragged the movement of the airplane towards its intended landing.

The 60-year-old pilot already noticed that 23 minutes into the flight, there was already something wrong with the Piper Seneca. Soliman said the pilot retained the same route for about 37 minutes instead of going back to Mactan from where it took off.

 There could have been enough time to go back and the tragedy could not have happened. “But only the pilot will know why he did not do so.”

Connivance?

Soliman also noted that the right engine died when the plane was already 91 kilometers from Mactan but was still airborne for at least 17 minutes more. “Upon entering the Masbate airspace, the pilot undertook improper procedures.”

 The engine was also working on “intermittent fuel supply and erratic engine firing,” he added.

Further investigation showed that there was improper issuance of air worthiness certificate for the aircraft.

Documents showed that the right-hand engine propeller was replaced in November 2011. A consequent report was filed before the CAAP.

Thereafter, CAAP Airworthiness Inspector Fernando Abalos approved a clearance for the one-hour test flight of the Piper Seneca and then gave it a “satisfactory” rating.

Soliman revealed that the flight instructor of Aviatour, Captain Federico Omolan III, was asked by Bahinting to sign the test flight report even if he did not test it himself.

After the plane crash, investigators said there was no such record in the aircraft logbook. The Mactan International Airport also noticed that the aircraft had no flight plan, Soliman said.

Liabilities

Aquino ordered the full auditing of other aircrafts. He said all licenses and permits that CAAP approved will undergo another auditing.

CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss said he already ordered the creation of a special body to look into the civil, administrative and criminal liabilities of those involved, including those within the agency.

Bahinting’s  family denied connivance between the company and the CAAP through a statement read to reporters by Michelle Ferol, human resource manager of Aviatour.

“We just have to admit that we are totally shocked and hurt,” she said, adding that they are not aware of such as a devious deal.

The company added that error on the part of Bahinting is probable, being human. As for the engine failure, the company’s statement said that anything made by man could fail because there is no such a thing as a perfect machine.

“In finality, we find these events as a wakeup call for both sides, the aircraft operators and the authority that only by doing the right thing is, at the end, can be considered acceptable by both man and God.”

For his part, Capt. Antonio Jureidini, manager and director of the flight school and training director of safety of Aviatour, denied that the aircraft owned by the company have poor maintenance.

According to Jureidini, the late Capt. Bahinting, aside from being a pilot, was also a mechanic and was particular of the safety of the aircraft.

Avia Tour Inc.’s permit expired in December 2011 but they were given extension to operate while complying with CAAP rules and regulations.

CAAP Flying Inspector Diego Dasallas told reporters that they will submit to their Central Office the results of their audit with Aviatour.——ABS-CBNnews.com and Jose P. Sollano /JPM (FREEMAN)