Pilot hurt as PAF helicopter crashes

MANILA, Philippines - An Air Force Huey helicopter figured in a mishap in Cagayan de Oro yesterday, a few days after two military pilots died in a plane crash in Batangas.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya said the UH-1 helicopter with tail no. 518 crashed and rolled over at around 3:30 p.m. while it was about to take off inside the 4th Infantry Division headquarters in Camp Evangelista.

Maj. Christian Uy, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Division, said three of the four passengers of the helicopter were not hurt. The co-pilot of the helicopter suffered a sprain and was brought to a military hospital.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman Maj. Ezra Balagtey said the helicopter was about to go back to the Tactical Operations Group 10 headquarters in Cagayan de Oro.

Before the incident, the helicopter transported 4th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Oscar Lactao to the 402nd Brigade headquarters based in Butuan.

The Air Force has grounded the more than 20 UH-1H helicopters in its inventory pending the results of the investigation on the crash.

The mishap happened four days after an SF-260 trainer plane crashed in Nasugbu, Batangas and left two Air Force pilots dead.