Plane returns to airport for 'malfunction'

CEBU CITY -- The Airphil Express flight 2P247, which departed Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday for Davao City returned because its left engine allegedly conked out while airborne.
However, Freddie Herrera, Airphil Express senior vice president for marketing and sales, denied that it was an emergency landing, but only a "request for priority landing."


Herrera said the aircraft departed Mactan airport for Davao on time at 9:15 a.m., but while airborne, the warning light panel signified engine malfunction.
"When the aircraft finally landed at Mactan, the maintenance crew found out that both engines are running fine and it was the warning light that malfunctioned," Herrera said.
Herrera said there were some disruptions, but nothing of major concern.
Not an emergency
Maryann Dimayabao, public information officer of Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), also confirmed that it was not an emergency landing but a normal flight back to Mactan airport.
"It was not really an emergency landing, but still the personnel of the search and rescue department of MCIAA were placed on alert until the plane landed (because it is part of routine)," Dimayabao said.
Dimayabao said that soon after the aircraft landed safely at 9:57 a.m., 106 of the 121 passengers were transferred to another Airphil Express plane, which brought them to their destination.
Cancelled
The other 15 passengers did not push through with their trip out of fear.
Theresa Gonzales-Sederiosa, of Aboitiz Equity Ventures and one of the 121 Airphil passengers, said that about 15 minutes after takeoff, she heard a different sound, then the aircraft started to shake.
Sederiosa said that, at first, she thought the sound came from the food cart pushed by the stewardess. But she noticed that the stewardess went inside the cockpit and the pilot/captain then announced that they will go back to Mactan.
She added that in going back to Mactan airport, the aircraft was flying low, slow and swaying every now and then.

Original Post by: EOB of Sun.Star Cebu