An Antonov An-12 cargo aircraft operated by Philippine charter carrier Interisland Airlines crashed last night in Pampanga province.
Three of the six crew members died, while the remaining three survived, says the director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Alfonso Cusi.
The aircraft, registration UP-AN216, was on a charter flight from Cebu's Mactan International Airport to Manila's Clark Airport.
It crashed in an open field in Mexico, a municipality in Pampanga province, located 14 nautical miles from Clark, says Cusi. The aircraft caught fire in the air before it crashed, he adds.
"The cause of the crash looks to be a technical problem with the aircraft's electrical system," says Cusi.
Authorities have recovered the aircraft's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, and investigations are ongoing, he adds.
The aircraft was on a wet lease to Interisland, says Cusi, who declines to reveal the owner of the aircraft.
The three crew members who survived the crash are in a stable condition, he adds. Among the six crew members, three were Russians, two were Uzbeks and one was Bulgarian, says Cusi.
Interisland operates charter passenger and cargo flights, according to its website. The carrier's officials were uncontactable for comment.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
