By Ephraim Aguilar
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 14:46:00 05/07/2008
INQUIRER.net
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines--A Masbate City Airport official Wednesday corrected radio reports that "a propeller of an Asian Spirit plane fell to the ground from mid-air" in Masbate province.
Airport manager Josefina Nuñez clarified that the propeller did not fall off the 50-seater plane while in mid-air but on the ground, when a replacement engine was being installed to replace one that would not run Tuesday morning.
Nuñez said engine trouble was detected before 47 passengers bound for Manila boarded the aircraft and airport officials immediately canceled the 7:35 a.m. flight and a replacement engine requested from Metro Manila.
The spare engine arrived late in the afternoon and, while it was being installed by technicians, one of the four propellers fell on the parking apron where the plane was being repaired.
"The propeller was too heavy for the boom truck that carried it and it fell off the hook. It was damaged and could no longer be used," Nuñez said in a phone interview.
"It was a good thing that the engine trouble was found out before the plane left. But the media has to be careful in giving reports as it could cause fear and panic," Nuñez said.
The same plane was able to resume its flight on 7:35 a.m. Wednesday with 44 passengers, among them some of those stranded Tuesday.
Nuñez said 14 of the stranded passengers refunded their tickets.
The Masbate City Airport serves one Masbate-Manila flight daily.
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