Narrative:The DC-3 took off from Kalibo runway 05 at 1740 for a flight to Manila. Some 20 minutes after takeoff, while climbing to 2200 feet, the no. 1 engine began to vibrate. Oil pressure dropped and oil temperature increased. The engine was shut down and the prop feathered. The crew elected to return to Kalibo, but weather was poor and the pilots failed to make visual contact with Kalibo. Course was changed to Bacolod and an attempt was made to climb to 2000 feet in order to clear obstructing terrain. Even with METO power on the no. 2 engine it was not possible to climb; the DC-3 couldn't even maintain its present altitude. At 500 feet altitude the pilot decided to ditch the plane, but it collided with coconut trees located 500 feet from the Barrio Camansi Norte shoreline and crashed on the muddy bed of an abandoned fishpond.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Failure to maintain safe single-engine speed and altitude following failure of the left engine. The precipitation and poor visibility prevailing at the time of the accident over Kalibo and its vicinity and the failure on the part of the maintenance personnel to take action to correct discrepancies logged in the aircraft log-book, individually or collectively contributed to the cause of the accident"
Sources:
» ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No.16 - Volume III, Circular 82-AN/69 (137-141)
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Kalibo Airport to Manila International Airport as the crow flies is 345 km (216 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.