PR A320 hits 5J ATR at Tacloban airport




By Joey A. Gabieta
Inquirer Visayas

May 7, 2010

Tacloban —The operation of the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport was suspended late Friday afternoon after a Philippine Airlines plane hit the wingtip of a Cebu Pacific aircraft.

The Cebu Pacific plane was finishing boarding procedures and was about to depart for Cebu at around 4:25 p.m. when the accident happened.

The Philippine Airlines plane had just arrived from Manila and was taxiing on the runway when one of its wings hit the wingtip of the Cebu Pacific plane, airport officials said.

The PAL plane had more than 100 passengers while the Cebu Pacific plan had 56 passengers, but no one was reported injured.

However, hundreds of passengers were stranded airport cancelled the early evening flights.

In a statement e-mailed to the Inquirer, Cebu Pacific confirmed the incident, saying its ATR 72-500 aircraft, while parked and finishing boarding procedures for its Tacloban-Cebu flight (5J-429), was hit at the wingtip by an incoming PAL A320 aircraft which was taxiing after arrival.

No one was injured among the 59 passengers, the statement said.

It added that a CEB mechanic and a quality inspector are already on a CEB flight from Manila to assess the damage and determine if the aircraft can be released to fly back to Cebu.

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