4 killed in Palawan plane crash

Four people were killed when another light plane crashed in Cuyo Island in Palawan late yesterday morning.

The Air Transportation Office (ATO) said that a twin-engine Beechcraft Bonanza (BE-50C) of the Royal Air Charter piloted by Capt. Eddax Agraviador had just taken off from the Cuyo Airport at around 11:20 a.m. when it encountered some problems and crashed into a nearby coconut plantation near Mt. Aguado in Magsaysay, Cuyo.

Agraviador and his three passengers, identified as Harry Poligado, Ron San Diego and Victor Suico, were killed.

The ATO said that aviation safety investigators were dispatched to determine the cause of the accident.

Yesterday’s crash is the sixth plane crash involving a light plane this month, bringing the death toll to 12, and the eighth air mishap this year, bringing the total death toll to 22.

Last week, a military Cessna plane of the Philippine Air Force Flying School crashed right after it took off from the Loakan Airport in Baguio City, killing a PAF instructor-pilot and three student pilots. The PAF is still determining the cause of the mishap.

The day before the Baguio PAF plane crash, a Piper Cherokee chartered plane, which took off from Palawan, crashed in Tanauan, Batangas enroute to Manila. Fortunately, its two passengers and its American pilot survived the crash. — With Cecille Suerte Felipe, AFP