UPDATE: Air Force told to contact supplier of crashed Sokol

MANILA, Philippines - The Defense department has ordered the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to contact the Polish firm that supplied the Sokol helicopter that crashed in Marawi on Thursday.

Security officials are expected to submit a formal report about the accident to PZL-?widnik S.A, the company that manufactured the aircraft.

“PAF was directed to inform the Sokol manufacturer about the incident,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said in a text message.

The warranty period for the helicopters, however, has lapsed.
“The warranty period for the aircraft is about two years and this has reached beyond the warranty period,” Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya said.

The government has purchased eight Sokol combat utility from PZL-?widnik S.A. for P2.8 billion. The package included ground support equipment, spare parts, support services, and training for aircrew and maintainers.

The first batch, which consisted of four helicopters, was delivered in February 2012 while the second batch, which consisted of two Sokols, arrived nine months later. The final batch composed of two helicopters was delivered February last year.

Gazmin said the Air Force is now probing the incident, which took place as the military is restoring its capabilities that have been depleted due to budget constraints.

Canaya said an investigating team has been dispatched to the crash site.

“I spoke to pilots and they said there was no engine failure,” the Air Force spokesman said.

“There are no official results yet. We will wait for the (findings of the) investigating team,” he added.

Canaya belied speculations that the aircraft, which carried 11 persons, was overloaded.

“It has less than the maximum capacity, which is around 13,” he said.

The Air Force has grounded all Sokol helicopters as a precautionary measure. Canaya, however, said the air assets could still be used “for very important or emergency cases.”

Canaya  added  that the grounding of the helicopters won’t jeopardize their operations.

The ill-fated helicopter crashed at 2:23 p.m. upon its take off at the 103rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Marawi City.

The helicopter escorted another Sokol carrying Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

It was carrying 4th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, 4th Infantry Division Inspector-General Col. Alexander Macario, five staff members of Gazmin and four crew members, including two pilots.

The helicopter’s gunner, Air Force S/Sgt. Darius Valdes, and a civilian identified as Santiago Savedra were hurt during the incident.

One of the Sokol helicopters supplied by PZL-?widnik S.A landed on the news last year after it got stuck in Camp Aguinaldo for five days because of technical problems.

The Air Force downplayed the incident as a “minor discrepancy.”