Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 28) — Aviation authorities have started looking into an incident of a helicopter that was forced to make an emergency landing in a banana field in Bukidnon on Thursday. The aircraft is operated by the same group behind the air ambulance that went missing last March.
In a statement issued Friday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said an R44 helicopter of the Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services (PAMAS) made an emergency landing in Sitio, Babahagon, Lantapan, Bukidnon.
The information was likewise verified by the Laguindingan Tower, but CAAP noted that PAMAS “did not file a flight plan for this operation.”
It said Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board Chief Reineer Baculinao is now investigating the accident.
In a Facebook post, PAMAS said the pilot reported that the helicopter lost power, forcing him to make an emergency landing.
“Thankfully, neither the pilot nor passengers were seriously injured. One passenger was taken to the hospital for further evaluation, but his condition was not critical,” PAMAS said.
PAMAS, which also operated the missing chopper carrying four people en route to Palawan in March, confirmed the incident to CAAP.
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