1 dead in Alaminos City plane crash

ALAMINOS CITY, Philippines – A pilot died on the spot while his student pilot survived after a training Cessna 152 plane crashed in a fishpond in Sitio Paradise, Barangay Telbang in Alaminos City in Pangasinan on Wednesday, December 15, at around 9 am.

Police Colonel Richmond Tadina, acting provincial director of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPO) said Captain Daryl Uy, pilot instructor of Fly Fast Aviation Academy and his companion Caran France Kaura took off from the academy grounds in Lingayen at around 8:22 am for an orientation flight.

Meanwhile, in Barangay Telbang, farmer Gerry Giron saw said plane flying erratically at low altitudes. He further mentioned that the plane seemingly tried to land at a nearby embankment, when it flipped into a pond next to it.

“Parang gusto mag-landing doon sa pilapil, pero sumadsad yung eroplano tapos bumaliktad sa tubig,” he said, while pointing at the supposed landing spot. (The plane appeared to want to land on the embankment, but it landed badly and flipped into the water.)

Kaura, who suffered minor injuries, got out of the plane which flipped in the fishpond. Uy was trapped.

Giron said Uy was screaming for help when the plane caught fire, and those in the area were unable to rescue Uy, who burned to death.

Kaura was rushed to the Western Pangasinan District Hospital for immediate treatment.

In a statement, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said its Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board’s (AAIIB) Go Team has been dispatched to the scene to help determine what caused the incident.

As of posting time, Kaura headed straight to the Alaminos City Police Station after being released from the hospital. He is currently being asked for a statement.

The flying school is set to issue a statement on the matter while the investigation is ongoing. – Rappler.com

Ahikam Pasion is a Luzon based journalist and an awardee of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.