Training plane in forced landing in Bulacan; no one hurt

Director General William Hotchkiss III. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A training plane made a forced landing on Tuesday morning at the Plaridel airport in Bulacan but neither its pilot nor his trainee was hurt, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said.

In an initial report, the CAAP Operations and Rescue Coordinating Center said the Cessna 152 training craft, with tail number RP-C8220, advised the tower at around 10 a.m. that it had made a forced landing about 5.5 kilometers north of the airport.

The aircraft is owned and operated by Leading Edge International Aviation Academy based in Taguig City. The pilot was identified as Capt. Don Earl Hinayon while the student pilot, an Indonesian, was identified only as Louis in the academy’s report.

The CAAP dispatched investigators Roderick Briones and Judy Armenio to look into the incident.

CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss III said that pending completion of the investigation and in accordance with Republic Act No. 9497, or the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008, Leading Edge’s operations have been suspended.

This means all training flights of the aviation school will be temporary halted.

In 2007, Plaridel airport was temporarily closed following a collision over Malolos City of two Cessna 150s which resulted in the death of three persons from two aviation schools.