Robredo plane crash due to engine, pilot errors

The plane crash that killed Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo was caused by engine trouble and pilot error. The plane carrying Robredo, his aide Jun Abrasado, pilot Jessup Bahinting, and Nepalese student pilot Kshitiz Chand crashed on August 18 into the waters of Masbate. A 14-page report submitted by an investigating body created by former Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the pilot mishandled an emergency situation caused by technical problems. Bahinting informed his passengers of a propeller problem 23 minutes after they left Mactan Airport but instead of heading back to Cebu they proceeded toward Masbate instead. The pilot miscalculated and went past the runway. “If the flight returned to Mactan, it would have landed safely with still two engines, as the loss of the right engine was after 38 minutes of flight after the initial propeller problem was noted, the report said. Only Abrasado survived the crash, while Robredo’s body was recovered only on August 21.

Read the full story on Rappler.