CAAP grounds Robinson 44 helicopters

MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has suspended the operations of 51 Robinson 44 helicopters following last Monday’s crash of a similar aircraft in Lucena City that killed outgoing Quezon Gov. Rafael Nantes and five others.

“In view of the recent accident involving RP-C2550, all helicopters manufactured by Robinson Helicopter Co. (R-22 and R-44) are grounded for safety reasons,” said CAAP Director General Alfonso Cusi.

The order took effect immediately until the cause of the crash is officially determined and the helicopter’s airworthiness is evaluated.

The Robinson 44 helicopter with registry number RP-C2550 bearing Nantes’ group had just taken off from the Quezon National High School at around 2:15 p.m. Monday when it crashed at the Jael Subdivision in Barangay Iyam in Lucena City minutes later.

The four-seater helicopter burst into flames upon hitting the ground, burning five houses.

Aside from Nantes, the pilot and the governor’s two security escorts were killed in the crash, together with two children on the ground who were pinned by the falling aircraft.

Of the 51 Philippine-registered Robinson helicopters, the government owns one while lawmakers like Ilocos Sur governor-elect Chavit Singson and former congressman Romeo Jalosjos own a number of them.

With the CAAP’s move, the Philippine National Police (PNP) voluntarily grounded its three brand-new Robinson 44 helicopters.

Chief Superintendent Leocardio Santiago, director of the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF), said the grounding of the three Robinson R44 Raven II police helicopters worth P104.9 million was just a precautionary measure. The SAF takes care of the PNP’s air assets.

“We have only three (R-44s). We are finding out the cause of the crash in Quezon before allowing (them) to fly (again) just to make sure,” Santiago said.

The helicopters are capable of flying for three hours on a standard fuel load at a cruising speed of 130 miles per hour and range of 300 miles.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said the grounding of the aircraft will not affect the PNP’s air command and control operations.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo visited Nantes’ wake at the Quezon Convention Center yesterday to condole with his widow Betty.

In her conversation with Mrs. Arroyo, Mrs. Nantes asked for an independent body to investigate the crash.

In a statement, the Bagumbayan party of Sen. Richard Gordon, expressed suspicion of foul play in Nantes’ death.

“Could his (Nantes’) death be a mafia-style assassination?” asked lawyer Rodolfo Reyes, Bagumbayan spokesman.

Cusi denied reports that the helicopter exploded in mid-air.

“Eyewitnesses’ reports said the Robinson 44 took off fully loaded with passengers and fuel and some other items and there was prevailing tail wind,” he said.

Cusi said the temperature in the area was also high, contributing to the difficulty of the small rotors to bite into the wind.

These factors probably contributed to the crash, although aircraft investigators would have to file their official findings before the CAAP announces the actual cause of the accident, Cusi said.

There had been 289 accidents involving Robinson 44 helicopters from July 1993 to November 2001. – With Michelle Zoleta, Mike Frialde and Cecille Suerte Felipe