What happened
On a scheduled flight departing from Ozamis City Airport bound for Pagadian, an aircraft with registration PI-C55 experienced a catastrophic loss of altitude during the initial climb. The flight was carrying a pilot, nine passengers, and two infants at the time of the accident.
Shortly after a standard takeoff procedure, while maintaining an altitude of approximately 75 feet, the aircraft type entered a sharp upward ascent followed by a significant left-hand turn. During this maneuver, the plane lost lift and descended rapidly, striking two trees before impacting the ground in a nose-down position. The impact triggered an immediate fire at the crash site.
The accident resulted in two fatalities, including the pilot, and ten injuries among the remaining occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the primary cause was an uncontrollable stall occurring at a low altitude, triggered by the sudden, steep climb performed immediately after takeoff. Several contributing elements were noted during the analysis:
- Improper weight and balance due to incorrect loading of the aircraft
- Environmental conditions including gusty winds and high ambient temperatures