ZAMBOANGA CITY, 7 March 2004 — An aging Philippine Air Force transport helicopter crashed on a corn field in the southern province of Lanao del Sur yesterday, slightly injuring two pilots and three other crew members, military said. The chopper, one of several dozens donated by United States, was on its way to the army’s 4th Infantry Division headquarters in Cagayan de Oro City when it made an emergency landing around 7.25 a.m. in the village of Pinagpadan in outskirts of Marawi City, said local army spokesman Maj. Restituto Padilla. He said the chopper was based in Maguindanao province and on a mission when the aircarft activated its warning system due to a malfunction. The chopper’s tail was broken because of the strong impact of the landing, Padilla said. The chopper, used during the Vietnam War, was piloted by Lts. Arvin Ricabierta and Norman Alinsangan, he said.
