CAAP probers collecting helicopter crash debris

MANILA, Philippines —Investigators of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) are collecting debris of the helicopter that crashed in a ricefield in Malolos, Bulacan last Thursday noon to determine the cause of the incident that killed three persons on board.

Each piece of collected debris will be examined by CAAP aircraft investigators, and it will take some time to determine if engine trouble, pilot error or something else caused the crash.

CAAP investigators said the helicopter was an Airbus/Eurocopter EC130T2 model with registry number RPC8098, piloted by Capt. Everette Coronel and two passengers identified as businessman and helicopter owner Liberato “Levy” Laus and his bodyguard Wilfran Esteban. All three died in the crash.

The helicopter operated by LGC Air Transport left NAIA General Aviation hangar bound for San Fernando, Pampanga last Thursday at 12:28 p.m. and crash landed in a fishpond in Malolos 19 minutes after take-off.?The three victims were evacuated from the crash site but died on the way to the Bulacan Medical Center.