Two planes encounter landing gear, bird strike problems

Philippine Airlines . FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine Airlines plane had to return to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to fix a problem with its nose landing gear while a Cebu Pacific aircraft that took off from the same airport had a bird strike upon touchdown at the Pagadian City airport on Tuesday.

All passengers and crew of both planes were safe, aviation officials said.

A text advisory from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the PAL Express flight (2P2811) departed Manila at 6:32 a.m. but it had to return due to a problem in its landing gear.

The aircraft, an Airbus A320 carrying 180 passengers landed safely at NAIA at 7:15 a.m.

Eric Apolonio, spokesperson for the CAAP, said airline personnel managed to fix the problem in a short while and the plane took off for the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao at 8:41 a.m.

PAL officials clarified that the incident was not at all an emergency landing. The aircraft returned without seeking help from aviation authorities, PAL said.

Meanwhile, a flock of birds got sucked into the engine of the Cebu Pacific aircraft upon touchdown at airport in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur at 8:27 a.m. on the same day.

Cebu Pacific flight 5J771 was approaching the runway when hundreds of American sparrows flew toward its path.

The Airbus A319 remained grounded at the Pagadian airport while airline personnel were assessing the damage caused by the birds.

The plane’s return to Manila was to be delayed until after technicians declare it safe, the airline said.

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