Traffic controllers recall last communication with Nomad pilots

"When they requested to return to the station, that’s when we thought something wrong was going on," recalls air traffic controller Danny Esteban on the conversation he had with the pilots of Nomad 18 plane that crashed last week in Cotabato City, killing nine people, including a Philippine Air Force general. Over the weekend, Esteban and Andy Nievares Jr., the two personnel manning the air traffic control tower at the Cotabato City airport, recounted their last transmission with the two pilots of the ill-fated Philippine Air Force plane. In an interview with GMA News’ Cedric Castillo, Nievares said that at about 11:35 a.m. last Thursday, he gave the Nomad 18 plane a clearance to take off from the Cotabato City airport runway. The aircraft’s pilots were Capt. Genaro Gaylord Ordonio and 1st Lt. Angelica Valdez. A minute later, Valdez informed the control tower that they would return to the airport.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV The recorded communication between Valdez and Nievares is as follows: “For info sir, we will be going back to your station," Valdez said at 11:37 a.m. Thursday. “Roger. Proceed back [to] station. Wind 120 at 08 runway 10," Nievares replied. In the interview with GMA News, Esteban said that with the call, they sensed something was wrong was going on. “Noong nag-request na babalik sa station, nagduda na kami na may masamang mangyayari (When they requested to return to the station, that’s when we thought something wrong was going on)," Esteban said. The communication with Valdez for the next minute is as follows: At 11:38 a.m., Nievares asked: “Nomad 18, confirm on emergency." To which, Valdez replied: “Affirm, sir." Four minutes later, Nievares and Esteban said they saw smoke coming from a residential area. That’s when they alerted a rescue team that the Nomad plane might have crashed. Nievares and Esteban’s suspicions were correct. That morning, the Philippine Air Force reported that the Nomad plane carrying eight passengers burst into flames and crashed at Virgo Subdivision, Purok 7, Rosary Heights 9 in Cotabato City. Pilots Ordonio and Valdez and the six other passengers – Maj. Gen. Mario Butch Lacson, Maj. Prisco Tacuboy, Lt. Alexander Ian Lipait and Staff Sergeants Ronaldo Mejia, Ianne Christy Marose Llamera and Jeffrey Gozon – died. A civilian identified as Inday Mondrano, who was in her sixties, died after a wall of one of the houses collapsed on her. An 18-man team from the Air Force was ordered to investigate the incident, which might have been caused by a mechanical failure. [See: ’Mechanical failure likely cause of Nomad crash’] The Philippine military has grounded the Air Force's two remaining Nomad planes while the investigation is ongoing. - Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMANews.TV