Indonesian student pilot survives plane crash

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – An Indonesian pilot currently accumulating flying hours at an aviation school survived after the single engine Cessna plane he was piloting crashed into the mountains in Dinwede West, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur Monday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Noel Amoyen, Ilocos Sur police director, identified the Indonesian as Michael Djaja, a student pilot of Leading Edge International Academy.

Amoyen said Djaja left the San Fernando Airport at around 10 a.m. on the Cessna 152 with tail number RPC 697 and was expected to return in two hours, but failed to do so.

Airport authorities lost all contact with Djaja about noon.

The management of the flying school asked the assistance of the PNP-Aviation Security Group to help in the search operations. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) also conducted an aerial search.

Amoyen said the pilot was rescued by Efren Pascua and Natalio Aban, residents of Barangay Dinwede, the remotest village in Cervantes town.

Pascua and Aban allegedly saw the plane crash into the mountainous and deeply forested area in Barangay Dinwede and hiked for two hours to the crash site.

“They were in the area near the plane crash so they immediately went to see it,” Amoyen said.

Aban said in a radio interview that they saw the plane at about 11 a.m. hovering at a low altitude before it rammed into the mountains.

When they reach the crash site, they saw the front part of the plane totally wrecked, with Djaja stuck inside, wounded and incoherent.

According to Pascua, Djaja suffered injuries on his head and other parts of the body.

After making an improvised stretcher, they took turns carrying the wounded pilot about six kilometers to the village.

Djaja was brought to the barangay hall where he was given first aid.

A rescue team from the PAF airlifted the pilot yesterday to a hospital in San Fernando City for further medical treatment.

An investigation of the cause of the crash is now being conducted. – With Raymund Catindig, Teddy Molina