What happened
A scheduled service from Manila-Ninoy Aquino Airport to Cagayán de Oro included an unplanned stop at Tacloban Airport to transport spare tires for another Cebu Air aircraft. After departing Tacloban at 1002LT, the aircraft type was cruising at FL115 toward its destination. During the descent phase, while flying through marginal weather characterized by strong winds and cloud cover, the plane collided with the slope of Mt Sumagaya, which stands at 2,234 meters. The impact occurred approximately 54 km northeast of Cagayán de Oro Airport.
The wreckage was located in a remote area roughly 150 meters below the mountain summit by rescue teams who reached the site approximately 24 hours after the event. The aircraft broke apart upon hitting the terrain. There were 104 fatalities among the passengers and crew, which included five non-Filipino citizens.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed that the flight was three kilometers off its intended track at the time of impact. Several systemic failures within the operator's management were identified, including inadequate pilot training and operational controls by Cebu Air. The investigation noted that the airline failed to comply with established crew training protocols, with more than half of the 17 analyzed procedures found to be deficient. Additionally, it was discovered that certain aircraft components remained in service past their expiration dates.