S 211 down

Pilots Safe!

July 19, 2010

Clark - A Philippine Air Force (PAF) S-211 jet with tail number 024 crashed in Concepcion, Tarlac this morning.

No casualties were reported. But PAF's only Jet fleet was a total write-off . The jet were piloted by 1st lt. Jose Wilbert Martinez and trainor Maj. Wilfred Donato of the Air Defense wing's 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron .

Both safely ejected from the aircraft and were brought later to the Air Force City Hospital in Clark Pampanga for treatment.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol said the plane took off from the Clark Air Base around 8 a.m. for a training flight. When the plane did not return as scheduled, PAF sounded an alarm to search for the aircraft and the pilots.

The unscathed pilots were later found 11:45 a.m., and were subsequently brought back to Clark Air Base for medical checkup.

An order has been made grounding all S-211 pending an investigation to the cause of the crash. AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta said the aircraft suffered “mechanical problem” while on air but was in good flying conditions when it took-off at Aur Force City. The exact cause is however being determined by investigators.

The recent crash left the PAF with only six S-211s including three that are undergoing maintenance.

The Italian made Aermacchi S-211 is designed as a two-seat jet trainer aircraft powered by a Pratt and Whitney JT15D-C turbofan engine. The aircraft was later modified by the PAF as a secondary close air support units that can be armed for weapons training or light ground attack duties. A total of 25 S-211’s were purchased by the PAF in 1988, including 15 that were assembled locally by the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation.