Incident
On April 21, 1970, Philippine Airlines Flight 215, a domestic service from Cauayan Airport to Manila International Airport, experienced an in-flight explosion. The aircraft, a Hawker Siddeley HS-748 Series 2 registered as PI-C1022, was manufactured in 1968.
At 11:34 a.m., Captain Diego Liwag requested permission to make an instrument approach to Manila. While cruising at 10,500 feet approximately 70 miles from Manila, a bomb detonated in the aircraft's lavatory. The explosion caused rapid decompression and complete separation of the tail section, leading to an uncontrolled descent and in-flight breakup. The wreckage scattered across a wide rural area near Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.
All 32 passengers and 4 crew members were killed.
Investigation and Aftermath
The investigation determined that a bomb in the lavatory caused the incident, but the exact source could not be traced. Possible motivations considered included suicide bombing or political sabotage, attributed partly to limited airport security at the time. The cause was ultimately classified as "unlawful interference."