PAF to submit Sokol crash report to Polish manufacturer

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 last Thursday.

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

“PAF was directed to inform the Sokol manufacturer about the incident,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said yesterday.

The warranty period for the helicopters, however, has lapsed.

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

The government purchased eight Sokol combat utility worth P2.8 billion from PZL-Swidnik S.A. 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 happened 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,” Canaya 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 people, 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 gave assurance that the grounding of the helicopters would not jeopardize their operations.

The helicopter crashed at 2:23 p.m. shortly after it took off from the 103rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Marawi City.

The helicopter escorted another Sokol carrying Gazmin and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

The helicopter had on board 4th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, 4th Infantry Division Inspector-General Col. Alexander Macario, five staff members of Gazmin and four crewmembers, including the 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-Swidnik S.A landed in the news last year after it got stuck in Camp Aguinaldo for five days because of technical problems.