Authorities start probe on Pampanga plane crash

Aviation authorities started Thursday a full investigation into the crash of a six-seater private plane in Pampanga Wednesday night, after recovering the ill-fated plane’s black box. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Alfonso Cusi said, “Opo, ang black box nasa kanila, (malalaman natin ang) pinag-usapan (Yes, the black box is in investigators’ custody. We expect to know what took place before the crash)," Cusi said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Our investigators are there at the site. We expect to know more once they get the needed information, he added. Citing initial reports reaching him, Cusi said the Antonov 12 aircraft was flying from Mactan in Cebu to Clark Airport in Pampanga province. “As it was approaching, 40 nautical miles na lang southeast of Clark, malapit na yan. They were starting to communicate na (It was just 40 nautical miles southeast of Clark)," he said. He added the plane, which was carrying cargo from Cebu to Clark, was only 10 minutes away from landing when it crashed. Radio dzBB’s Allan Gatus reported that three of the survivors were still too shocked to give leads on the incident as of early Thursday morning. Initial reports reaching Mexico town police head Superintendent Ferdinand Perez identified the survivors as pilot Yuri Tochocony, co-pilot Dmitri Straminski, 39, and crewmember Bokadier Ruchev, 34. The report also identified two of the fatalities as ground engineers Nikolai Banon and Yashinov. Initial investigation indicated an electrical fire broke out in the plane’s cargo cabin at about 8:50 p.m. Wednesday, prompting the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The plane crashed in a rice field at San Patricio village in Mexico town in Pampanga, with residents saying they thought the falling plane was a shooting star or meteor. Villagers managed to rescue three of the crewmembers. An Associated Press report quoted Cusi as saying the Antonov 12 plane was leased by a Manila-based airline company for domestic use. Cusi added Clark’s tower lost communication with the aircraft at about 8:50 p.m. — LBG, GMANews.TV