A Philippine Air Force (PAF) Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX ISR aircraft made an emergency landing at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB/RPVM) on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, after experiencing an engine fire shortly after takeoff.
The aircraft carrying five occupants was on a confidential mission when the engine fire occurred. The pilots could safely land the plane on runway 22, but the nose landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to become disabled.
In a report from the Manila Bulletin, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said: “The engine problem resulted in extreme difficulty in maneuvering the aircraft, but in spite of this, the pilots were able to land the aircraft, with all five aircrew onboard well and safe.”
All five occupants were uninjured, but the aircraft sustained minor damage. The airport was closed for about three hours while authorities removed the plane from the runway.
“The aircraft is undergoing a thorough inspection. We are hoping for the best that the damage is not that severe. We are just happy and thankful that all aircrew are safe,” Castillo added.
The PAF has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the engine fire.
“The aircraft was intact and only the engine caught fire. In cases like engine fire, the aircraft could still glide but this time, our pilots does not have enough altitude so it was really fortunate that they still managed to maneuver the aircraft back to Mactan,” Castillo said.
“Rest assured that the PAF is committed to ensuring the utmost safety of our air operations while continuously supporting the country’s security and development efforts,” she added.
The United States government transferred a pair of Cessna C208B aircraft, specially configured for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, in August 2017. On September 19 this year, PAF inaugurated the third C208B.
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