On December 12, 2003, a Britten-Norman Islander (registration RP-C868) operated by Chemtrad Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Tuguegarao, Philippines during landing or approach. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew lost visual contact with the runway due to cloud cover, leading to a controlled flight into terrain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A twin-engine aircraft crashed into a wooded area near Tuguegarao Airport after losing visual contact with the runway during its approach.
What happened
During the approach phase to Tuguegarao Airport, a twin engine aircraft encountered cloud cover, which resulted in the crew losing sight of the runway. While flying through the clouds, the aircraft collided with the top of a hill. The impact occurred in a heavily wooded region situated approximately 3 km before the runway threshold.
Findings
The aircraft entered clouds during its final approach.
The crew was unable to maintain visual reference to the landing strip.
The collision with terrain led to the destruction of the aircraft.
There were three fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Probable cause
The crew lost visual contact with the runway due to cloud cover, leading to a controlled flight into terrain.