Air Phils jet makes emergency landing

An Air Philippines jet carrying 62 people made an emergency landing yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after smoke engulfed the passenger cabin.

The flight crew asked passengers to brace for a possible rough landing, aviation officials and witnesses said.

No one was hurt but many of the 56 passengers and six crew were shaken by the dark smoke that engulfed the cabin of the Boeing 737-200 several minutes before it landed at midday.

It was the second accident involving Air Philippines and the same type of aircraft in just over a week.

An Air Philippines Boeing 737-200 plowed into a coconut grove on a hill on Samal island near Davao City on April 19, killing all 131 people aboard in the country's worst air disaster.

In yesterday's incident, the plane, which took off from the Mactan International Airport in Cebu at 11:30 a.m., was about 16 kilometers from Manila when smoke suddenly filled the passenger cabin, prompting the pilot to ask air traffic controllers for an emergency landing, said Rene Mailom of Air Philippines.

The plane was piloted by Capt. Reynaldo Galang and first officer Arturo Bagadiong.

The Air Transportation Office (ATO) grounded yesterday the aircraft and another B737-200 belonging to the Air Philippines fleet.

The ATO said the plane that made the emergency landing experienced a system hydraulic loss while approaching Manila.

Lita Castro, 51, a passenger sitting in the middle section of the plane, said she saw smoke spreading at the front and back of the passenger cabin. After a while, smoke smelling like burning rubber started coming out of the overhead air vents, she said.

Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling and passengers were instructed to wear them. The crew also asked the passengers to brace their heads with their arms, Castro said.

"I asked a stewardess beside me if we would crash. I was so frightened," Castro said. "She told us to stay calm and everything will be all right."

Some passengers had complained the oxygen masks did not work, but an Air Philippines staff explained that some of the passengers simply failed to follow the pre-departure safety and emergency instructions.

The plane landed safely, trailed by fire trucks from the Airport Fire and Rescue Team. It could not taxi on its own power, and had to be towed to a ramp, where all passengers alighted, airport officials said.

Air transport officials said an investigation was under way.

Officials said there were three hydraulic systems in the aircraft, and that the loss of one did not affect the safety of the flight.

"The plane landed safely and nobody was hurt. However, this aircraft will be thoroughly inspected and all deficiencies found will be rectified," the ATO said.

The other grounded plane was found nearing its limit on its service cycle, and would require inspection. -