Planes approved by discredited Caap exec traced; all flying schools re-audited

MANILA, Philippines — Civil aviation authorities will now have to trace the planes cleared by the same inspector who declared the airworthiness of the Piper Seneca plane that crashed in Masbate on Aug. 18, killing Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, according to officials.

Crash investigators discovered connivance between the Seneca plane pilot, Capt. Jessup Bahinting, and inspector Fernando Abalos for the issuance of a certificate of airworthiness to the ill-fated plane without actual tests in early 2012.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on Wednesday placed Abalos on a 90-day preventive suspension pending investigation of his culpability in the crash.

“The Caap will have to go over everything that he handled. All that he inspected, all that he approved will have to be checked if they’re in order,’’ Secretary Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesperson, said in a briefing.

Caap Director General William Hotchkiss would first focus on the air operators and flying schools that had been cleared by Abalos, Transportation and Communication Secretary Joseph E.A. Abaya said.

“He will now define the universe: the planes, schools and entities that passed through the hands of Abalos. He will focus on them because these are highly suspect. There’s evidence that there was fabrication and cutting of corners. So you start on that,” Abaya said by phone. “The audit of the rest will follow.”

The investigators found out that Abalos approved a test flight permit for the Seneca Piper plane’s renewal of airworthiness certificate on Jan. 7 this year, but there was no record of such test flight.

On Jan. 17, Abalos also endorsed the application for renewal of airworthiness certificate, and an entry in the database showed the relevant documents had been reviewed by him. Then on Feb. 2, the certificate was issued to AviaTour, which was owned by Bahinting.

The investigators said the test flight results were falsified, and concluded that Bahinting connived with Abalos to “expedite’’ the processing and approval of the certificate of airworthiness.

After reading the investigators’ report, President Benigno Aquino III blamed Bahinting for the crash. Investigators cited Bahinting’s inexperience to handle emergency situation, and his failure to turn back to Cebu after one of the two engines malfunctioned 23 minutes into the flight.

The investigators also blamed a faulty engine and the flawed management of AviaTour.

The plane took off from the Cebu airport in the afternoon of Aug. 18, and crashed into the Masbate Sea en route to Naga City, killing Robredo, Bahinting and his co-pilot Kshitiz Chand. Robredo’s aide, Senior Inspector June Abrazado, survived.

In a statement posted on government website, Caap Deputy Director General John Cu Unjieng Andrews said Abalos’ acts could constitute gross dishonesty and grave misconduct that might warrant removal from government service.

Andrews said Abalos would be accorded due process in the investigation to be conducted by a board created by Hotchkiss.

As the results of the investigation became public Tuesday, the President ordered an audit of the permits and licenses issued by the Caap.

Caap said permits of some 39 flying schools, 21 air taxi operators, and 24 maintenance organizations would be audited.

Lacierda said the government would pursue charges against personnel of either Caap or AviaTour found to have contributed to the crash.

“Various crimes can be leveled against them: falsification, reckless imprudence,’’ he said.  “On the surface, there was falsification and some people died. We know more or less what will be the possible criminal offenses that will be filed.’’