Air Force transport plane suffers tire burst upon landing at Palawan airport; 11 onboard safe
At A Glance
- A Philippine Air Force (PAF) NC-212i light transport aircraft carrying 11 personnel suffered a tire burst upon landing at Puerto Princesa Airport, Palawan, on Sept. 12.
- The aircraft, which took off from Cebu for a proficiency flight, had two pilots, three crew members, and six passengers onboard.
- All were reported safe and unharmed.
- Initial findings showed that both main tires deflated during landing, prompting the pilot to stop the aircraft on the runway.
- Tactical Operations Group-7 was tasked with clearing the site.
- The plane was towed later that evening to Antonio Bautista Air Base for inspection and repairs.
File photo of Philippine Air Force (PAF) NC212i aircraft (Courtesy of PAF)
An NC-212i light transport aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) carrying 11 individuals during a proficiency flight suffered a tire burst upon landing at the Puerto Princesa Airport in Palawan late Friday afternoon, Sept. 12.
Col. Ma Christina Basco, PAF spokesperson, said the aircraft with tail number “2120” took off from Cebu and had two pilots, three crew members, and six passengers when the incident happened around 5:55 p.m.
Fortunately, all personnel onboard were “safe and well,” she confirmed.
An initial report that reached Villamor Air Base stated that the pilot-in-command noticed a discrepancy in the aircraft during landing and made the decision to stop in the middle of the runway.
“Based on the initial investigation, the two main tires got deflated,” Basco told the Manila Bulletin. “They were on a training/proficiency flight. Actually, the passengers are the other set of crew members that will also undergo training.”
The PAF immediately contacted personnel from the Tactical Operations Group (TOG)-7, the nearest Air Force unit from the incident site, to expedite the removal of the aircraft.
The PAF assured the public that a thorough and expeditious investigation will be conducted to determine what caused the tire burst.
“The PAF is investigating the incident as of now to determine the actual cause,” Basco noted.
The PAF reaffirmed that the safety and security of its personnel and the public remain its foremost priority, “with all necessary measures being implemented to uphold the highest standards of operational safety.”
The aircraft was towed around 10 p.m. and is now parked at the Antonio Bautista Air Base Military Ramp in Puerto Princesa City for inspection and repairs.