AN S-70i Black Hawk helicopter acquired in November last year under the AFP modernization program crashed in Capas, Tarlac on Wednesday night, killing all those on board — three Air Force pilots and three other personnel.
Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano said the combat utility helicopter was on a night proficiency training flight when it crashed a few miles from the Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Capas.
Mariano withheld the names of the fatalities —a lieutenant colonel, two majors, a master sergeant, a technical sergeant and a sergeant — pending the notification of their families.
Mariano said the helicopter, assigned with the 205th Helicopter Wing, took off from the Clark Air Base in Pampanga for the training flight at around 8 p.m. but failed to return as scheduled two hours later.
Mariano said the Air Force sent search and rescue teams aboard helicopters and later found the wreckage of the ill-fated aircraft.
He said the Air Force is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident. All Black Hawks in the inventory of the Air Force have been grounded, pending the probe.
“We grieve for the loss,” Mariano said. “The PAF will conduct a thorough inquiry to determine the circumstances of this unfortunate incident. For the meantime, all the other Black Hawks will not be flown until the conclusion of the investigation.”
Mariano said the conduct of night proficiency training is necessary for pilots and crewmembers.
“Night flight proficiency trainings are part of the capabilities of the pilots and crew, in this case the Black Hawk S70i, prior to their full deployment to assist our frontline units in their missions. Although with inherent risks, this competency is vital and necessary for the transport and logistics requirements of Unified Commands,” said Mariano.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana expressed the department’s “deepest sympathies” to the families of the three pilots and the three airmen who died in the accident.
“In the meantime, the entire Blackhawk fleet is grounded while the incident is being investigated,” said Lorenzana.
In 2019, the defense department finalized a contract with Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze Sp.z.o.o for the acquisition of 16 Black Hawks for $241.46 million (about P11.65 billion) under the AFP modernization program.
The first delivery, composed of six units, was made in November last year. Five more were delivered just last June 7 but have yet to be formally received by the Air Force, pending technical inspection.
The third and last delivery of five other Black Hawks will be before the end of the year.
“This is from the first batch of the helicopter definitely because the second batch of the helicopter has not yet been received formally,” Mariano said of the Black Hawk that crashed.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said: “No words can describe our sadness for the Philippine Air Force personnel who were killed in the Black Hawk S70i mishap of the 205th Tactical (Helicopter) Wing. We extend our sincerest condolences to their families and offer assistance of any kind in this time of grief.”
The six delivered Black Hawks have performed a range of missions since their addition to the Air Force’s fleet of aircraft, including the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.
