All Lite Air Express aircraft grounded

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has grounded all aircraft owned by Lite Air Express after one of its planes crashed in Plaridel, Bulacan, on Saturday morning, killing 10 people.

In a statement, CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said on Saturday night that investigators and a team from the agency’s flight safety and inspectorate service were still conducting ocular inspections at the crash site as of press time.

The ill-fated plane was a Piper Lance2 PA-32-300 six-seat high performance single engine aircraft with registry number RP-C299.

The plane was bound for Laoag City when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Plaridel Airport at around 11:21 a.m.

Killed were the pilot and four passengers, as well as five occupants of a house that the plane crashed into.

The fatalities from the plane were identified as pilot captain Ruel Meloria, chief mechanic Romeo Huenda; and passengers Alicia Necesario, Maria Vera Pagaduan and Nelso Melgar.

Those killed on the ground were Rissa dela Rosa, her children John Noel, Timothy Noel and Krissa; and Dela Rosa’s mother Luisa Santos.