PAF Spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol clarified that the Air Force helicopter did not crash as it just “made a hard landing” as an emergency procedure.

According to police, the five PAF personnel on board the helicopter were Lt. Col. Robert R. Bitas, Lt. Paul Yu, A2C Elias P. Alinday Jr., SSgt. Ruel E. Realin, and Sgt. Edmund B. Cubillan. They sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was piloted by Bitas, with Yu, who is on a Training Pilot Qualification Course (TPQC), as co-pilot.

The PAF spokesman, however, said in a statement “no one was reported hurt” from the incident as the pilot “executed a successful emergency procedure to recover the aircraft.”

Okol said the aircraft, with tail number 662, was on a routine training mission when the incident occurred. The helicopter reportedly took off at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, made a brief stop at Sangley Point in Cavite, and was headed to Antipolo, Rizal where Yu was supposed to land the aircraft.

However, before they could reach Antipolo, the aircraft made an emergency landing at an empty lot in Isidro, Taytay, at around 9:50 a.m.

Police said that because of the impact of the hard landing, those on board the aircraft sustained minor injuries.

PAF commanding general, Lt. Gen. Oscar H. Rabena immediately dispatched a rescue team to the site.

As the PAF has yet to establish what prompted the Bitas, a seasoned pilot, to make an emergency landing. But Okol said the rotor blades of the helicopter were totally damaged.

Because of the incident, the PAF is set to conduct an inspection of all its Huey II helicopters.

Elena Aben, Manila Bulletin