2 PAF pilots killed in plane crash
Even as search for missing civilian aircraft in Isabela continues
TWO pilots from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) were killed when their Marchetti SF260 (tail number 29-01) went down at a rice field in Pilar, Bataan province on Wednesday, January 25, 2022.
The tragedy occurred even as a rescue mission remains ongoing in search of a single engine ‘Cessna’ civilian aircraft (RPC 1174) that went missing in Isabela province after taking off from the Cauyan Airport a day earlier, January 24, 2022, with 6 people on board (see also Pinoy Expose, January 25, 2023).
Early media reports disclosed that the PAF aircraft Marchetti SF260 “crash landed” at around 10:42 am in the middle of a rice field at Sitio Tabon, Barangay Del Rosario in the town of Pilar.
Investigators said that based on witnesses’ accounts, the plane was seen descending fast before it crashed into the rice field.
PAF spokesperson Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo earlier confirmed that one of their SF260 aircraft from Sangley Point in Cavite made a crash landing in Bataan.
Castillo likewise confirmed that said aircraft was on a recurrency training involving the two pilots, whose names are yet to be released as of this posting.
(In a subsequent update, the PAF identified the fatalities as: Cpt. Ian Gerru Casiños Pasinos, who was from Cagayan De Oro City, the pilot-in-command, and Capt. Jhon Paulo Ong Aviso, who was from Zamboanga City. Both were seasoned pilots with several years of flying experience and recipients of the ‘Gold Cross Medal,’ thje second highest medal in the Armed Forces for gallantry in action).
She added the ill-fated aircraft was assigned to the 15th Strike Wing of the PAF based at the Danilo Atienza Air Base in Sangley Point, Cavite province.
Members of the Pilar Municipal Police Station (MPS) said they immediately responded to the crash site and found the said plane in the middle of the rice filed with pilots both servicemen of PAF still inside the cockpit.
In line with standard operating procedure, all SF-260TP aircraft in PAF service are grounded while the investigation into the crash is ongoing.
The SF260TP is a highly maneuverable and fully aerobatic basic trainer aircraft manufactured by SIAI-Marchetti of Italy and took part as air-support for ground units during the 2015 ‘Marawi Siege.’
At the end of the Macapagal Arroyo administration, the PAF negotiated for the purchase of 18 units that was delivered beginning on November 29, 2010, under the Noynoy Aquino administration. The total purchase cost amounted to P623 million, media reports at the time disclosed.
Two years ago, the military also temporarily grounded its entire ‘Black Hawk’ fleet after one S-70i, from the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing crashed during a night-time training in Capas, Tarlac, on June 23, 2021, killing all six on board (updated January 27, 2023, 1:23 pm).
