‘Several factors led to C-130 plane crash’

MANILA, Philippines — No single factor led to the crash of a C-130 plane in Sulu in July as well as a Black Hawk helicopter in Tarlac in June, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Citing the report of the investigation team, AFP spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said material, human and environmental factors caused the crash of the C-130 plane.

Fifty AFP personnel and three civilians on the ground died when the military plane crashed after it overshot the runway.

The soldiers were being deployed to fight Abu Sayyaf bandits when the accident occurred.

Identification of the victims was completed only last month.

“It was most probably due to actual or perceived material factors and induced human factors which were aggravated by local and environmental conditions,” the report read.

“The aircraft component, environmental condition and aircrew response led to unrecoverable stall in a critical phase of the aircraft operation,” it added.

On the Black Hawk helicopter, the AFP investigating panel found out that the aircraft” inadvertently entered a thunderstorm and was compounded by spatial disorientation or vertigo by the pilot as the cause of the accident.”

Three pilots and three crewmembers were killed when the newly acquired helicopter crashed during a night proficiency training.

The entire C-130 and Black Hawk fleets were grounded following the accidents.