Accident Sequence
Flight AM101 was a scheduled domestic flight from Manila to Legaspi. It departed Manila International Airport at 1505 hours. At 1640 hours, the flight made initial contact with Legaspi Radio, reporting it was 7 minutes northwest of the field and requesting weather and landing information. Legaspi Radio provided the surface wind as 040 at 8 knots, visibility 5 kilometers, cloud cover 6 oktas at 450 meters and 8 oktas at 2,100 meters, temperature 24°C, dewpoint 24°C, runway in use 06, and QNH 29.81 inches.
At 1707 hours, the flight asked about traffic in the circuit and was informed there was none. At 1715 hours, the sound of an aircraft, presumably AM101, was heard south of the airport but the aircraft was hardly visible. At 1716 hours, the flight inquired again about the present weather, and the 1700 hours weather observation was passed to the aircraft. The flight further asked about present visibility, wind direction, and speed, and was advised that the wind was 040 at 18 knots and visibility approximately 4 kilometers.
At 1718 hours, the flight was seen turning for a landing on Runway 24. Witnesses described the landing roll as unusually fast after the aircraft made a two-wheel touchdown, tail wheel high, approximately 300 meters after the threshold of Runway 24. Before the tail wheel came into contact with the runway, full power was applied, and the aircraft became airborne. At approximately 200 feet altitude, it initiated a tight left turn, collided with the top of a tree, and then hit a building located two miles southwest of Legaspi Airport.
Injuries and Damage
Both pilots were killed, while all other occupants were injured.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The investigation board determined that the probable cause of this accident was a power stall during a tight turn manoeuvre at too low an altitude from which successful recovery was impossible.