Pilot, Indian student cheat death as plane crash-lands in N. Ecija

ZARAGOZA, Nueva Ecija – The pilot of a single-engine plane and an Indian aviation student escaped death when their aircraft crash-landed, then exploded in a ricefield in this town yesterday morning.

Senior Superintendent Agripino Javier, provincial police director, said the pilot, Jeffrey Mabbarang, 26, and Indian national Sandeep Kimar, 30, sustained injuries when their Omni Aviation plane with body number 053 crash-landed in Barangay Valeriana here at around 10 a.m. yesterday.

Chief Inspector Alex Mariano, provincial police intelligence officer, said the two-seater plane took off for a test-flight from Clark Field, Pampanga to Tuguegarao City in Cagayan when the engine malfunctioned, forcing Mabbarang to make an emergency landing.

But before the plane could touch down, there was an explosion.

Mabbarang and Kimar were rushed to a hospital in Tarlac City.

Senior Inspector Restituto Reyes, Zaragoza police station commander, said they were still assessing the extent of the damage on the aircraft.