Parts of Nomad plane brought to Mactan for technical analysis

MANILA, Philippines - Parts of what remained of the military plane that crashed in a residential area in Cotabato City that killed nine people last Thursday have been brought for technical analysis to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) base in Mactan, Cebu, Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Gerardo Zamudio said yesterday.

Zamudio added the team formed by the PAF led by Capt. Ian Lamzon to investigate the tragedy has also secured the testimonies of some 15 witnesses.

He said the testimonies, along with the parts of the Nomad N-22B twin prop airplane recovered at the crash site, would enable the investigators to determine the cause of the crash.

Zamudio said investigators were able to secure the testimony of the control tower operator of Awang Airport in Cotabato City who was able to talk to the pilot of the ill-fated plane before it crashed.

Officials said Capt. Genaro Gaylord Ordonio was able to contact the control tower at Awang airport minutes before the crash.

Ordonio radioed soon after takeoff from Awang airport, saying the plane had developed an emergency and was heading back.

The 12-seater Nomad twin prop plane carrying Maj. Gen. Mario “Butch” Lacson and seven other Air Force officials crashed into a residential area in Cotabato City on Thursday, killing all on board, as well as a civilian on the ground.

Aside from Lacson, the commanding officer of the PAF’s 3rd Air Division, the other fatalities were identified as Maj. Prisco Tacoboy, 2Lt. Alexander Ian Lipae, Sgts. Cristy Llamera and Ronaldo Mejia.

Ordonio and his co-pilot 1Lt. Angelica Valdez with crew S/Sgt. Jeffrey Gozum were also killed in the crash.

A civilian identified as Inday Mondrano was killed after a concrete wall collapsed on her when the plane crashed, setting fire to three houses in the area.

Zamudio said Lacson and the other Air Force officials were on their way back to Zamboanga City after attending a meeting at the Eastern Mindanao Command headquarters in Davao City.

On their way back to Zamboanga, they dropped off Col. Cris Tumanda, group commander of the Air Force’s Tactical Operations Group 12 (TOG-12), at Awang airport.

Minutes after takeoff, the plane apparently developed engine trouble, officials said.

Witnesses described the ill-fated aircraft as struggling to attain altitude before it crashed.

Tumanda, for his part, had said the aircraft showed no signs of any engine trouble when he was among its passengers during the early stages of the flight.

But he stressed the possibility that the airplane developed engine trouble midway to Zamboanga City.

Investigators went to the crash site and were able to retrieve the propellers of the plane, its tail section, rudder, elevator, wings, seats and personal belongings of the passengers and crew.

“Technically, we are entering the second phase of the aircraft investigation,” Zamudio said.

He said it would take less than a month for the PAF’s 18-member Aircraft Accident Investigation Board to finish the entire investigation.

“Unless needed, no other party will be involved in the investigation. We have to find out what caused the crash. It is very important for the Air Force,” Zamudio said.

Aside from witness testimonies, the crash investigators were able to secure the weather report at the time of the crash as well as the technical records of the plane.

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena had ordered an investigation into the accident and grounded the remaining Nomad plane for inspection.

Spare parts cannibalized?

Ther have been allegations of corruption in the Air Force that led to the crash and the deaths of the eight airmen.

According to Cris Pogoy, wife of a PAF pilot facing administrative charges, her husband had revealed the supposed massive corruption among Air Force officials in cannibalizing airplane parts.

Air force Capt. Joenel Pogoy is facing charges for allegedly uploading videos in a website purportedly detailing corruption in the PAF.

“The ill-fated Nomad plane is among the subjects of the complaint of my husband. More planes will crash if government will continue to ignore his exposé,” Pogoy said.

She said pilots are reluctant to fly because most of the aircraft are practically flying coffins due to lack of proper maintenance.

“Most of the pilots want to leave the Air Force and seek employment in local and international airlines,” she said.

Pogoy alleged that top officials of the Air Force cannibalized spare parts of other aircraft instead of buying new parts.

She claimed the ill-fated Nomad was the same aircraft documented by her husband in the video sharing website YouTube.

The 12-seater plane built in Australia is one of two remaining serviceable Nomads in the Air Force inventory. Another Nomad is undergoing repair.

Nomads are used by the Air Force for maritime patrol and short haul transport of troops.

The Air Force said the Nomads were purchased brand new in December 1975.

Deputy presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo, on the other hand, told critics to come up with evidence to support their allegations of corruption in the Air Force.

President Arroyo, meanwhile, awarded military citations for the fallen airmen.

Mrs. Arroyo visited the wake of the fallen airmen at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City hours after their remains were flown in from Cotabato City. – With Paolo Romero, Perseus Echeminada