By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The “black box” or flight data recorder of the ill-fated FA-50PH jet fighter with tail number 002 has been recovered, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced on Thursday.
“It will be brought to experts and what we are going to find there are the usual flight data, the altitude, the airspeed, all the other things,” PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said during an interview with reporters.
She also said the device could tell the flight path or direction taken by the crashed FA-50PH and provide clues or information to investigators on the problems or troubles the pilots encountered.
The PAF on March 5 immediately grounded all 11 remaining FA-50PH jet fighters in its inventory following the discovery of the wreckage of the missing aircraft in the vicinity of Mount Kalatungan Complex in Bukidnon province.
This aircraft was reported missing on March 4 as it was about to take part in a “tactical night” operation in the Eastern Mindanao Command area.
This aircraft along with other members of its flight took off from Benito N. Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu.
The PAF is yet to release to the media the exact cause of the mishap which is the first since the 12 FA-50PHs were acquired from South Korea from 2015 to 2017. (PNA)
