The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) will be investigating the fatal crash of the RP-C3424 helicopter in Guimba, Nueva Ecija on Saturday, February 1.
In a press release on Sunday, February 2, the CAAP said that initial reports indicate that the helicopter departed Manila at around 10:22 AM last Saturday, en route to Baguio, where a passenger was dropped off.
At around 11:51 AM, the helicopter took off from Baguio, en route to Binalonan. It landed at 12:05 PM for refuelling.
The CAAP pointed out that Binalonan Airport officials noted that the chopper experienced difficulty restarting its engine before its departure at 4:30 PM.
“The Philippine Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center (PARCC) detected six emergency locator transmitter (ELT) alerts between 7:04 PM and 7:14 PM,” the CAAP said.
It was eventually confirmed with the Guimba Police Station that the crash site was located at Guimba, Nueva Ecija.
“Authorities later confirmed with the Guimba Police Station that the crash site was located in Purok Arimung-mong, Barangay San Miguel. The lone occupant, a female pilot, did not survive the incident,” they continued.
Investigators from the CAAP’s Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB) remain on-site to determine the circumstances that led to the crash, the CAAP said.
The helicopter crashed on the site at approximately 5:00 PM on Saturday, February 1, the Guimba Police confirmed. An immediate rescue operation was conducted, which led to the successful recovery of the victim's remains.
