The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ (CAAP) Aircraft Accident and Inquiry Investigation Board (AAIIB) has launched an investigation into an incident involving a training aircraft that flipped on the shoreline near San Fernando Airport in La Union.
Initial reports indicate the Cessna 172 Skyhawk with registration RP-C6923 (formerly N84904) operated by Leading Edge International Aviation Academy, Inc. (LEIAA), declared an emergency at 0823H PhST today due to an engine failure shortly after completing a touch-and-go exercise at the airport. The aircraft, carrying two passengers — a flight instructor and a student pilot — was forced to ditch approximately half a nautical mile from the runway threshold.
The aircraft ended up on the shoreline of Barangay Canaoay, sustaining damage including a missing engine cowling. CAAP’s Crash and Fire Rescue team, along with the Philippine Coast Guard, swiftly responded to the scene. The flight instructor and student pilot were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
An investigator from CAAP AAIIB has been dispatched to the site to determine the exact cause of the incident. The investigation will likely focus on the reported engine failure and the circumstances surrounding the emergency ditching.
CAAP has not released the names of the individuals involved in the incident pending further investigation.