Another Cessna plane missing

Another Cessna airplane has gone missing after it took off from the Bicol International Airport (BIA) in Albay province at 6:43 a.m. yesterday for Manila.

This is the second Cessna plane to disappear in less than a month in the country.

In a statement, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Cessna 340 Caravan with registry number RP-C2080 had four persons on board – a pilot, a crew and two passengers.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the Philippine Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center (PARCC) was informed by Manila Approach at around 7:45 a.m. that they do not have contact with RP-C2080.

The aircraft was supposed to arrive in Manila at 7:53 a.m. yesterday. Apolonio said the aircraft’s last contact was with Legaspi Approach at 6:46 a.m. or three minutes after takeoff abeam Camalig bypass. Abeam is an aviation term used to describe the positioning of an aircraft directly across, from or over a NAVAID (navigational aid) or any other type of fix, which may include an airport, tower or any notable natural or man-made geographical object.

According to Apolonio, the plane was flying over the Camalig bypass road when it made that contact.

As of 9:08 a.m. yesterday, PARCC elevated the situation to a distress phase – known in aviation as DETRESFA – to describe a situation of reasonable certainty that an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.

Apolonio said the communication searches at CAAP’s Air Traffic Service facilities, Manila Area Control Center, Manila Approach, Naga Tower, Clark Tower, Sangley Tower all yielded negative responses.

Given these, Apolonio said CAAP informed all concerned agencies – local government unit of Camalig, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Coast Guard, Office of Civil Defense and National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council – about the incident.

These agencies are coordinating with CAAP for the search and rescue operations.

Last Jan. 24, a Cessna 206 with six persons on board also failed to make it to its destination in Maconacon in Isabela province. The search and rescue operations for the missing plane are still ongoing.