Danding's plane aborts takeoff

MANILA, Philippines - The flight of a private jet reportedly owned by tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco was aborted before taking off yesterday after the aircraft’s right wheel got stocked in a soft newly cemented portion of the hangar area at the Manila Domestic Airport in Pasay City.

The nine-seater Challenger 300 jet with registry number RP-C8215 was bound for Talim, Indonesia and had just left its hangar when the accident occurred.

Nobody was hurt among the jet’s pilot Capt. Vicente Abaygar, co-pilot Rafael Caro, and Australian passenger Ross Jackes.

Airport authorities said the plane came from the hangar and was on its way to the domestic airport’s runway when the right wheel got stocked at the newly paved portion near the hangar area.

Airport personnel rushed to the site and pulled out the plane’s wheel after several hours.

The airport workers used rubber balloons to lift the plane and placed a piece of metal beneath the wheel and they pushed the plane out of the soft cement.

The plane’s landing gear was damaged and the flight was cancelled while the pilots and the passenger returned to the hangar.