Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 22) — The Cessna plane that crashed near the crater of Mayon Volcano possibly went off track when it took off from the Bicol International Airport en route to Manila, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Wednesday.
“What we are thinking is when they departed the airport, the clearance given is to proceed via the Whiskey 9 which is the designated airway going to Manila,” CAAP Deputy Director General for Operations Edgardo Diaz told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
“If the aircraft is on its northbound, it is supposed to make a left turn to proceed towards Manila,” he said.
However, Diaz noted that the aircraft was found towards the right side.
On Tuesday, the CAAP confirmed that the wreckage found near Mayon Volcano’ s crater is the Cessna plane that went missing on Saturday.
It was located at an elevation of 3,500 to 4,000 feet on the west side slope of Mayon.
Diaz said the area where the plane was found was a restricted zone.
Moreover, the volcano is currently under Alert Level 2, or moderate unrest, which is why airplanes are not supposed to fly close to it, he noted.
“As pilots, we were trained to avoid mountainous areas,\” he pointed out. \”The wind and the condition surrounding a mountain, specifically flying very close to a maintain, is very unpredictable.”
Diaz said investigation is still ongoing to know what really transpired.
While not being completely ruled out, he noted it is less likely that the cause of the crash was aircraft failure or lack of experience of the pilot.
Based on CAAP’s records, the plane was issued a certificate of air worthiness, which involved layers of inspection, Diaz said.
Capt. Rufino James Crisostomo Jr., the plane’s pilot, was a veteran, he added.
Aside from the pilot, crewman Joel Martin, and two Australian passengers, Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santana, remain missing.
