ATI declares emergency landing at NAIA

August 17, 2010

A chartered Air Transport International plane flying from Tokyo to Singapore airport made an emergency landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) yesterday on a reported fire to its cargo compartment.

The Douglas DC-8-70 combi plane with registration number N721CX was carrying 21 passengers and was flying over Philippine airspace when the crew reported a fire alarm in the cargo hold.

The airport's Fire Department however found no trace of smoke or burning heat inside the plane after the aircraft landed safely according to Manila International Airport Authority general manager Jose Honrado.

Honrado said the control tower received the distress call at 8:50 a.m. from the pilot, Capt. Michael Martino requesting permission to land at NAIA on account of the purported emergency.

The aircraft landed safely at NAIA around 9:15 a.m without incident and taxied on its own power before it docked at Naia Terminal 1 remote parking bay where the passengers disembarked.

Inspection was thereafter conducted by fire experts inside the cargo bay but found no indications of fire in any of the airplane’s sensitive parts.

Meanwhile its passengers waited at terminal 1 before the aircraft was cleared to fly again and was directed to dock at Boarding Gate 17.

The U.S. registered aircraft was cleared safe by NAIA authorities around 1 p.m. and the plane took off at runway 06 around 2:05 in the afternoon.