(Eagle News)–Ten people were killed after a plane crash-landed in a residential area in Lumang Bayan, Plaridel, Bulacan on Saturday, March 17.
The Piper 23 Apache carrying the five fatalities–three passengers, the pilot and its chief mechanic —had just taken off the Plaridel airport when it took a dive and hit the house owned by Luisa Santos in Barangay Lumang Bayan at 11:21 a.m.
Among the plane’s three passengers were two people who were reportedly doing on-the-job training.
In a radio interview, Police Chief Insp. Agustin Joseph, Deputy for Operations in Plaridel, said a family was having their lunch when the incident happened.
Five members of the family were killed in the incident, namely a grandmother, Luisa Santos, 80 years old; the mother of the household, Rissa Dela Rosa, and three of her children — John Noel, 17; Timothy Noel, 10, and Trisa, 7.
The father of the family, Noel dela Rosa, was reportedly at work when the accident happened.
Another son was at school.
Those aboard the plane were identified as Captain Ruel Meloria (pilot), Romeo Huenda (chief mechanic), Elisha Necesario (passenger), Maria Vera Pagaduan (passenger), and Nelson Melgar (passenger).
The plane– which was operated by Lite Air Express—was bound for Laoag, Ilocos Norte.
Rescue teams have been deployed in the area.
“All aircraft operated by Lite Air Express are grounded pending the result of the investigation,” the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said. With a report from Bryan Santiago in Bulacan and Earlo Bringas
