Cebu Pacific Flight 387
Encyclopedia
Cebu Pacific Flight 387 was a domestic Cebu Pacific Air flight from Manila
's Ninoy Aquino International Airport
to Lumbia Airport
in Cagayan de Oro City
on Mindanao
Island. On February 2, 1998, the 31-year old McDonnell Douglas DC-9
-32 crashed on the slopes of Mount Sumagaya
in Claveria, Misamis Oriental
, killing all 104 people on board. The crash was one of the deadliest aviation accidents
in the Philippines
, and the deadliest at that time.
Colonel Jacinto Ligot was the chief of the Philippine Air Force
rescue team, which faced difficulties due to the deep ravines and dense vegetation on the slopes of the mountain. The pilots were flying visually not instrumentally when the plane vanished from radar
. While the skies were clear at the airport, the mountains may have been covered by fog. Chief of Staff General Clemente Mariano speculated that the plane "almost cleared the top of the mountain, but it may have suffered a down-draft
, causing it to hit the mountain."
The plane left Manila at 0100 GMT and was scheduled to arrive at 0303 GMT in Cagayan de Oro. The plane made a stop at Tacloban on 0220 GMT, though sources differ about whether it was a scheduled or unscheduled stop. The last contact was 15 minutes before the plane was due to land, with the airport tower. In that call, the pilot said he was 68 kilometres (42.3 mi) from the airport and was starting to descend. There was no indication that the plane was in trouble. The plane crashed 45 kilometres (28 mi) away from the airport.
The plane carried five crew members and 99 mostly Filipino passengers, including five children. Five passengers were from Australia, Austria, Japan, Switzerland and Canada. Initial reports erroneously indicated 15 people had survived.
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
's Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA , also known as Manila International Airport , is the airport serving the general area of Manila and its surrounding metropolitan area...
to Lumbia Airport
Lumbia Airport
- See also :* Misamis Oriental* Laguindingan International Airport, the first International airport in Northern Mindanao region.* List of airports in the Philippines* Northern Mindanao, designated as Region X in the Philippines....
in Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro; , officially the City of Cagayan de Oro, is the provincial capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in the Philippines...
on Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
Island. On February 2, 1998, the 31-year old McDonnell Douglas DC-9
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
-32 crashed on the slopes of Mount Sumagaya
Mount Sumagaya
Mount Sumagaya is a mountain on the northern part of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is under the jurisdictional territory of the municipality of Claveria. It stands at a height of about 2, 248 meters high....
in Claveria, Misamis Oriental
Claveria, Misamis Oriental
The Town of Claveria is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Misamis Oriental, Mindanao, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 43,514 people. In 2000 census it has a recorded 7,843 households...
, killing all 104 people on board. The crash was one of the deadliest aviation accidents
Aviation accidents and incidents
An aviation accident is defined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, in which a...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and the deadliest at that time.
Colonel Jacinto Ligot was the chief of the Philippine Air Force
Philippine Air Force
The Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
rescue team, which faced difficulties due to the deep ravines and dense vegetation on the slopes of the mountain. The pilots were flying visually not instrumentally when the plane vanished from radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
. While the skies were clear at the airport, the mountains may have been covered by fog. Chief of Staff General Clemente Mariano speculated that the plane "almost cleared the top of the mountain, but it may have suffered a down-draft
Vertical draft
An updraft or downdraft is the vertical movement of air as a weather related phenomenon. One of two forces causes the air to move. Localized regions of warm or cool air will exhibit vertical movement. A mass of warm air will typically be less dense than the surrounding region, and so will rise...
, causing it to hit the mountain."
The plane left Manila at 0100 GMT and was scheduled to arrive at 0303 GMT in Cagayan de Oro. The plane made a stop at Tacloban on 0220 GMT, though sources differ about whether it was a scheduled or unscheduled stop. The last contact was 15 minutes before the plane was due to land, with the airport tower. In that call, the pilot said he was 68 kilometres (42.3 mi) from the airport and was starting to descend. There was no indication that the plane was in trouble. The plane crashed 45 kilometres (28 mi) away from the airport.
The plane carried five crew members and 99 mostly Filipino passengers, including five children. Five passengers were from Australia, Austria, Japan, Switzerland and Canada. Initial reports erroneously indicated 15 people had survived.