A female pilot was killed Saturday afternoon when a Robinson helicopter crashed in a swampy area in Guimba, Nueva Ecija, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio confirmed the pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, did not survive the crash.
In a radio interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Apolonio said, “Na-confirm ng PNP Guimba Police Station na doon bumagsak sa kanila ang nasabing aircraft. Isa po ang laman or ‘yung pilot in command lang ho. It was a lady pilot. Unfortunately, hindi po nag-survive.”
(The Guimba Police Station confirmed that the said aircraft crashed in the area. Only one person was on board, the pilot in command. It was a lady pilot. Unfortunately, she did not survive.)
The victim’s identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin, but an identification card found at the scene indicated the pilot was 25 years old.
According to CAAP, the Robinson R44 helicopter, with registration number RP-C3424, had left Baguio at 11:51 a.m., where a passenger disembarked. The helicopter then made a refueling stop in Binalonan, Pangasinan, at 12:05 p.m. However, the aircraft experienced difficulties restarting and did not take off again until 4:30 p.m.
The Guimba Police Station received a report from a concerned citizen at 5:20 p.m. regarding a helicopter crash in Barangay San Miguel. Responding officers found the helicopter in a swampy area.
“Na-retrieve (‘yung body) immediately. Tinulungan ng mga kababayan natin doon. Sa kasamaang palad, hindi siya nag-survive,” Apolonio said.
(The body was retrieved immediately. Our countrymen helped. Unfortunately, she did not survive.)
Apolonio noted that the helicopter did not have a black box, which records flight data and cockpit conversations. The absence of a black box may complicate efforts to determine the exact cause of the crash.
The Philippine Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center (PARCC) received multiple emergency alerts related to the incident. CAAP has dispatched retired Col. Rhomel Ronda, the lead investigator of the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB), to the crash site.
“CAAP, in coordination with local authorities, is conducting a thorough investigation,” the agency said in a statement, adding that further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash.
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