By Ronron
November 19, 2007
Two single-seater planes clashed in mid-air on Monday morning in Davao del Norte province in Mindanao while on crop-dusting operations, resulting in the death of one pilot and the wounding of the other.
Police and Air Transportation Office (ATO) officials said the incident happened at around 8:25 am at the banana plantation of the Andres M. Soriano (AMS) Farm in Purok Lower Mabini, Barangay Maniki, Kapalong town.
Kapalong Municipal Police commander Chief Insp. Michael Tulen said in a phone interview that involved in the crash were light planes with body numbers RP-R-1308 and RP-R-5860, owned by Mactan Aviation and Air Works Aviation, respectively.
ATO Air Accident Investigation Board Chairman Jose Saplan said the two are technically called AGCAT planes, manufactured by Grunnan company.
Tulen said the RP-R-1308, piloted by Quirico Cajucom, 57, was on a take off mode, while RP-R-5860, piloted by Limbert Alaguda, was on a touch down mode when the incident happened, according to residents.
He said the two were apparently commissioned by the management of AMS Farm to spray chemicals on its plantation.
“Apparently, there was miscommunication that resulted to miscalculation. We leave it now to the ATO to investigate the incident,” Tulen said in Filipino.
Saplan said two investigators from his office immediately flew yesterday to the crash site to conduct investigation.
Tulen said the planes did not really smash each other in the front, rather it was more on the wings.
But still, the plane of Cajucom was burned while that of Alaguda was badly wrecked. Both fell on the banana plantation.
Tulen said Cajucom died on the spot while Alaguda is seriously injured and was immediately taken by residents to a hospital in Tagum City./DMS
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