Cessna 152 Ground Accident at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (RP-C8798)

Incident Overview and Investigation Authority On April 12, 2025, at approximately 0729 local time, a Textron Aviation Inc. C152 aircraft, registration RP-C8798, was involved in a ground accident at the Airworks ramp in the General Aviation area of Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines. The incident was classified as an injury involving an aircraft component. The Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB) of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) conducted the investigation and released the final report on June 2, 2025. ## Flight History and Sequence of Events The aircraft was on a scheduled 150-nautical-mile navigation training flight with a flight instructor and one student pilot aboard. The flight departed at approximately 0630 local time with the student pilot in control. While en route to waypoint Tugas, the student pilot reported feeling unwell and dizzy. The flight instructor assumed control and decided to terminate the training session and return to base. Upon landing and taxiing to the ramp, the flight instructor observed the student pilot vomiting. After parking the aircraft, the flight instructor began performing the engine shutdown checklist. During this process, the flight instructor noticed the student pilot exiting the aircraft. Despite being called out to, the student pilot did not respond and walked directly toward the front of the aircraft while the propeller was still spinning. A marshaller reported that the propeller struck the student pilot moments later. ## Injuries, Damage, and Personnel The student pilot sustained serious injuries, while the flight instructor was uninjured. The aircraft sustained minor damage, specifically a nick noted on the propeller. No other damages were reported. The flight instructor was a female Filipino national holding a Commercial Pilot License and Flight Instructor certificate, with a total flying time of 3,617 hours as of April 3, 2025. The student pilot was a male Maldivian national holding a Student Pilot License, with a total flying time of 23 hours as of April 9, 2025. ## Aircraft and Operational Details The C152 is a two-seat, single-engine, high-wing, fixed-wing aircraft manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc. (formerly Cessna Aircraft Company). The specific aircraft involved was manufactured in 1979, with an airframe total time of 12,086 hours. It was powered by a Lycoming O-235-L2C reciprocating engine and equipped with a Sensenich fixed-pitch propeller. The aircraft was owned and operated by Airworks Aviation Company, Inc., an approved training organization. ## Probable Cause The investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the student pilot's decision to egress the aircraft while the engine was still operating. This action indicated a significant lapse in situational awareness and a failure in judgment.