Cebu Daily News / News

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view_article.php?article_id=158614

Engine trouble forces chopper to land By Jhunnex Napallacan, Carine M. Asutilla Cebu Daily News Posted date: September 04, 2008 The crew of a Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter yesterday made a precautionary landing in the town of San Francisco, Camotes Islands, eastern Cebu after experiencing apparent engine trouble. The helicopter, a UH-1H Huey, was one of two that took off from the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base (MBEAB) in Mactan Island shortly after noon to assist the Army in operations against rebel forces in Catbalogan, Samar, said Lt. Col. Dennis Antinor Cruz, public information officer of the PAF. “(On their way there), some instruments registered 'red' so they had to land to check the aircraft,” Antinor Cruz said. A third Huey carrying a repair team was dispatched from Mactan air base to check the downed helicopter. All three choppers later returned to the Mactan air base, Antinor Cruz said. The air force said no one was hurt in the incident. Antinor Cruz emphasized that yesterday’s incident was not a “crash landing” but a “precautionary landing.” The pair of Hueys, part of the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, lifted off from the MBEAB yesterday at 12:50 p.m. Their mission was to provide air support for the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion in engagements against rebels. Each helicopter was crewed by a pilot, co-pilot and two gunners. According to Antinor Cruz, MBEAB received a distress call from Captain Gavilan, pilot of Huey 0225, around 1:10 p.m. The pilot said an abnormal noise was coming from the helicopter’s engines and warning lights were flashing in the cockpit. Gavilan told the air base that they were near the Camotes Islands and were going to make a precautionary landing in San Francisco. Huey 659, which was flying alongside Huey 0225, accompanied the malfunctioning helicopter to San Francisco. Ellen Labayan, a staff member of the mayor's office in the town of Puro, east of San Francisco, said they received a call from the helicopter crews for security assistance. Police were dispatched to assist the crew, Labayan said. Edgardo Maninggo, community affairs assistant of San Francisco, said the municipal government dispatched personnel to assist the helicopter crew. Maninggo said some of the crew members were injured, but refused to be brought to medical facilities. A repair team, accompanied by a test pilot, flew from MBEAB to Camotes on another Huey to repair Huey 0225. All three helicopters were able to take off from San Francisco later in the afternoon and landed back at the MBEAB at 4:16 p.m. Antinor Cruz said no one among the helicopter crews was hurt.