1957 Cebu Douglas C-47 crash

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft involved in the crash was a newly reconditioned twin engine C-47A-75-DL Skytrain, which was operated by the Philippine Air Force and served as the official presidential plane of Magsaysay. The plane had been newly purchased with less than 100 hours of logged flight.

The plane was named Mt. Pinatubo, after a long-inactive volcano then best known as the tallest mountain in Magsaysay's home province of Zambales. Mount Pinatubo, which had been dormant since the 14th century, later became active in 1991 and produced the second-largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century, leaving over 800 people dead.

Background

On March 16, 1957, President Ramon Magsaysay was at Cebu City, where he arrived at 3:45p.m. PHT aboard his C-47 Mount Pinatubo plane for a series of speaking engagements in the city later that day. He visited former President Sergio Osmeña at his home and later spoke at a convention of USAFFE veterans and the commencement exercises at the University of the Visayas, the Southwestern College and at the University of San Carlos, respectively.{{cite news|first=Dominico C.|last= Moneva |title=Speak out: Magsaysay's death

Accident

The aircraft took off from Lahug Airport in Cebu City for Nichols Field near Manila, around 640 km away, at 1:00a.m. PHT, Sunday, March 17. The weather was fine and the ceiling unlimited with low broken clouds and a bright moon. This communication was the last ever conveyed by the plane.

Concerns arose after Magsaysay's plane failed to arrive at Nichols Field on schedule. By breakfast time, First Lady Luz Magsaysay and the Magsaysay family were informed that the plane had gone missing. An all-out air and sea search was instituted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with the assistance of the United States Air Force and Navy. The search had initially focused on the sea, as much of the flight route was over the ocean. The news had also spread throughout Manila and the rest of the Philippines, people weeping openly upon hearing of the missing flight.

In the mid-afternoon of March 17, a local town official in Cebu announced that the plane had crashed on the slopes of Mount Manunggal, in Balamban, Cebu, approximately 22 mi northwest of Cebu City. Mata, who suffered second- and third-degree burns, estimated that the plane had crashed around 1:40a.m. His body was charred and "beyond recognition", according to a report by National Defense Undersecretary Jose Crisol to Press Secretary Jose V. Cruz at 12:35p.m. It was determined that at the time of the crash, Magsaysay had been inside his special cabin, located just behind the cockpit.

Within hours after the official identification of President Magsaysay's body, Vice President Carlos P. Garcia was sworn in as the 8th President of the Philippines. At the time of the crash, Garcia had been in Australia, attending a conference of the SEATO.

Passengers

In addition to President Magsaysay and Mata, the plane carried 24 others, including former Senator Tomas Cabili, a hero of the guerrilla resistance movement during World War II; Gregorio Hernandez Jr., Secretary of Education; Representative Pedro Lopez of Cebu's 2nd district; and General Benito Ebuen (1912–1957), commanding general of the Philippine Air Force.

Investigation

There were initial speculations that sabotage had caused the plane crash.

References

References

1. (March 18, 1957). "Magsaysay Dead With 24 In Plane; Garcia Successor (pay site)". The New York Times.
2. Gleeck, Jr., Lewis E.. (1993). "The Third Philippine Republic: 1946–1972". New Day Publishers.
3. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-47A-75-DL (DC-3) 2100925 Cebu".
4. Ford Wilkins. (March 17, 1957). "Plane is Missing With Magsaysay Over Philippines (pay site)". New York Times.
5. (March 18, 1957). "Those on Magsaysay's Plane (pay site)". New York Times.
6. "The Cataclysmic 1991 Eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines". [[United States Geological Survey]].
7. (March 31, 1957). "Official Month in Review: March 16 – March 31, 1957".
8. (March 25, 1957). "Death of a Friend".
9. (February 26, 2012). "Close encounters with 2 presidents". rappler.com.