4 reasons eyed in crash of PAF Huey helicopter

Manila, Philippines - Air Force investigators are looking at four possible reasons behind the crash of a training helicopter last Wednesday which left two military pilots and three crewmembers injured.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Okol said the four possible causes of the incident are material, human, environmental factors and combination of the three.

“We are looking into all possible factors. The findings may be released pretty soon. It may be completed in a week,” Okol told The STAR in a phone interview yesterday.

He said the material cause refers to problems in the plane itself while the human factor pertains to pilot errors.

On the other hand, the environmental factor pertains to conditions in the surroundings that may affect the flight such as the weather.

“They (investigators) will collect evidence and testimonies, then they will come up with the results of the investigation,” he said. 

Okol said last Wednesday’s incident would not affect their operations significantly. He, however, admitted that they only have one operational Huey helicopter left in their inventory. 

“Two are undergoing maintenance,” Okol said, adding that the Air Force still has aircraft that can conduct rescue missions.

Five people were wounded after a search and rescue Huey II helicopter crashed in Barangay San Isidro in Antipolo, Rizal last Wednesday morning.

Injured were the helicopter’s pilot Lt. Col. Roberto Bitas, his co-pilot, 1Lt. Paul Ryan Yu, and crewmembers, Airman 2nd Class Elias Alinday Jr., Sgt. Edmund Cubillan, and S/Sgt. Ruel Realin.

The five Air Force personnel were on a routine training mission when the incident happened.

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena has ordered the Air Force Safety Office to probe the incident and to assess the damage of the aircraft.

The helicopter, with tail number 662, is one of the two Hueys under the Air Force’s 505th rescue unit.

The aging UH-1H helicopters have played key roles in the military’s drive against insurgency and terrorism as well as in disaster response operations.