BULACAN, Philippines- (UPDATED) A six-seater light airplane crash-landed on a house in Purok 3, Barangay Lumang Bayan, Plaridel town, in Bulacan province before noon on Saturday after taking off from an airstrip nearby, killing 10 people.
At least six people were confirmed dead in the accident, said Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, Bulacan Police Provincial Director, who immediately went to the crash site.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in an update said at least 10 people had died when the Piper Lance2 PA-32-300 six-seater, a high performance single engine fixed wing aircraft with registry number RP-C299 operated by Lite Air Express, crash landed upon takeoff from Plaridel Airport at 11:21 am Saturday.
It was bound for Laoag Airport with the pilot and 4 passengers on board. All five perished, along with the five occupants of a house where the aircraft crashed.
CAAP’s accident investigators and a team from Flight Safety & Inspectorate Service (FSIS) are conducting investigation at the crash site.
CAAP grounded all aircraft operated by Lite Air Express pending outcome of the investigation.
Among the fatalities earlier identified by police were Linda and Rizza Santos, both residents of the house hit by the crashed plane.
The plane was piloted by Capt. Ruel Meloria and co-piloted by Efren Patugalan.
The investigators are still determining the identities of other casualties in the plane crash as of this posting.