4 July 2021
A newly acquired C-130 aircraft of the Philippine Air Force with tail #5125 from the 222nd Airlift Squadron of the 220th Airlift Wing based in Mactan crashed on final at Jolo airport killing 17 soldiers and officials Sunday Morning. Death toll rose to 50 in the evening, including three (3) civilians on the ground.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said a C-130 aircraft crashed in Brgy. Bangkal, Patikul, Sulu at 11:30 a.m.
Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that the aircraft was carrying 92 people, including three pilots and five crew members while the others were Army personnel reporting for duty.
PAF Public Affairs Chief Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano said the aircraft with tail number 5125 “took off from Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, Pasay City to Lumbia Airport, Cagayan de Oro City and subsequently ferried personnel to Jolo, Sulu.”
Eyewitnesses at Jolo airport described the ill fated plane to have approached the touchdown marker of runway 09 too high and floated longer than usual prompting tower personnel to order the plane to go around but it failed to generate enough lift to do go around procedure and avoid the hill beyond runway 27 resulting to its crash some kilometer away from the airport's runway. The airport only uses runway 27 for take-off.
At least 40 servicemen have been rescued and brought to a hospital at 11th Infantry Division in Busbus, Sulu and later airlifted by US helicopter to Westmincom Hospital in Zamboanga City.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules was one of two ex-U.S. Air Force aircraft handed over to the Philippines as part of military assistance this year delivered in January and accepted on February 12, 2021 by no less than President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) acquired two refurbished Lockheed C-130H "Hercules" four-engine turboprop military transport/cargo aircraft in 2019 to add to its existing fleet of five (5) C-130s under the 222nd Airlift Squadron of the 220th Airlift Wing.
The former US Air Force C-130H Hercules built in 1987 and was used by the USAF Special Operations Command (AFSOC) until 2016 where it was stored at Davis Monthan airbase and brought back into service for the Philippine Air Force in 2021.
LOCKHEED MARTIN C-13O HERCULES DATA
- Aircraft Model: C-130H
- Tail Number: 87-9284 (USAF)
- Year Manufacturer Model: 1987
- Serial number: 382-5125
- Engines: 4
- Seats: 97
- Location: OH, United States
- New operator: Philippine Air Force
- Tail Number: 5125 (PAF)
- Year Transferred: January 2021
- Serial number: 382-5125
- Airforce Unit: 222nd Airlift Squadron of the 220th Airlift Wing
- Location: Mactan Airbase, Cebu
Are military aircraft fitted w black boxes?
ReplyDeleteYes. they were retrieved yesterday afternoon and brought by US plane to the US. According to US forces in Zamboanga result should be available in one week time.
DeleteReacting to the eyewitness statement, In my opinion it is very unlikely that PH Airforce pilots would succumb to ground effect.
ReplyDeleteIts not to say that this phenomena can be discounted, the airforce trains positive contact arrival to its pilots. Who knows, they may be aiming to land smooth as the flight was full.
Condolences to the relatives of the deceased and prayers to victims
Most pilots point to un-stabilized approach. They have specific term for it. Flaring. Causing it to float after landing. Which justifies the three bumps. It would have been ok if Jolo has longer runway. There could be other reasons. US contractor pilots in Zamboanga would like to believe it to be the cause. But that is just their opinion.
DeleteI don’t blame them since that lone video provides a single perspective that makes it seem that the pilot flared a tad bit early causing ground effect.
DeleteI hope the Senate inquiry would hopefully end unnecessary loss of lives by whatever discrepancies they unearth.
Do you believe in BAD LUCK or Bad Omen like number 13? Its seems that happened...
ReplyDeleteC-130H tail number 5125 (=13)...
Take note, newly acquired 10 units Parola Class PCG patrol boats from Japan are numbered from 4401 to 4411, noticed there is no 4405 (=13)
Any news updates about the cause of the incident if it is really due to miss or wrong calculation or runway touchdown approach? And if the short runway of Jolo airport is another factor?
ReplyDeleteAs stated in our report, Jolo is a one way airport. According to Lorenzana today, the C-130 landed on tailwind. Did not state the wind speed. But C-130 has been landing on this airport on tailwind. Also, survivors described what happen on landing to be consistent with un-stabilised approach. Also stated the pilot put hard brakes on the plane causing them to tumble but the transport plane did not slow down despite the break. Again not conclusion on our part as to what really happen.
ReplyDeleteBreaking. Sec. Lorenzana has been briefed by USAF AIB representative in Zamboanga that cause of the C-130 crash most likely attributed to pilot error. It could only mean data of the flight recorder has already been opened and analysed in the US, and/or they concluded investigation in Jolo where Americans also operate a base within a base. American contractors also witnessed the event unfolding before their eyes. US air assets were used in the transport of survivors to Zamboanga City. They also transported the black box.
ReplyDeleteWas it a CVR or an FDR fitted on those C-130s?
ReplyDelete