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List of Philippine Airlines accidents and incidents

Since its foundation in 1941, Philippine Airlines has suffered more than 20 aircraft crashes, terrorist attacks and aircraft hijackings. Most of these accidents and incidents involved propeller-driven aircraft, and prior to the 1980s.

The aftermath of the Philippine Airlines Flight 502 runway overrun

Accidents and incidents

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Philippine Airlines Reported Incidents
Source: Philippine Airlines Accidents and Incidents, Aviation Safety Network.
Flight Designation Date Aircraft Location Description Casualties
N/A October 1, 1946 Douglas DC-3 Davao Airport The aircraft belly landed in an isolated swamp when the pilot had lost his bearings. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C12)		 January 25, 1947 Douglas C-47B Dakota IV En route to Hong Kong-Kai Tak International Airport Crashed into the 1,723 feet (525 m)-high Mount Parker at an altitude of 1,570 feet (480 m). Fatalities: 4
N/A
(PI-C11)		 June 16, 1947 Douglas C-47 Near Cebu Force-landed on the beach. Fatalities: 0
N/A December 26, 1947 Douglas C-47 Manila A C-47 (PI-C36) and three DC-3s (PI-C3, PI-C10 and PI-C53) were written off following a typhoon. Fatalities: Unknown
N/A
(PI-C145)		 January 21, 1948 Douglas DC-3 Mandurriao Airport Wheels-up landing. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C45)		 April 20, 1948 Douglas C-47 Jolo Airport Crashed on landing. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C143)		 May 17, 1948 Douglas DC-3 Cebu Airport Stalled and crashed shortly after takeoff. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C291)		 November 15, 1948 Douglas DC-6 Wake Island Overran runway on landing. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C98)		 May 7, 1949 Douglas C-47B off Alabat Island Crashed into the sea; a time bomb had been placed aboard the aircraft by two ex-convicts hired by a man and a woman to kill the woman's husband, who was a passenger. Fatalities: 13
N/A
(PI-C22)		 January 24, 1950 Douglas DC-3 Between Iloilo and Manila Disappeared during an Iloilo–Manila cargo service. Fatalities: 4
N/A
(PI-C2)		 December 22, 1951 Douglas C-47A Masbate Airport The aircraft overshot the airstrip upon landing, ploughing across a highway and hit four houses. Ground Fatalities: 1
N/A
(PI-C5)		 March 10, 1952 Douglas C-47A Lahug Airport Crashed shortly after takeoff after striking the top of a house. Fatalities: 3
N/A
(PI-C270)		 March 30, 1952 Douglas C-47A Loakan Airport Crashed on takeoff. Fatalities: 10
N/A
(PI-C142)		 October 15, 1953 Douglas C-47 Near Tuguegarao The aircraft force-landed in a rice paddy; although the aircraft was repaired in 1954 and returned to service, it was lost in the crash of Flight S26. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C294)		 January 14, 1954 Douglas DC-6 Rome Crashed on approach to Ciampino Airport following an unexplained loss of control, probably due to turbulence. Fatalities: 16
N/A
(PI-C52)		 June 21, 1957 de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter Lagonglong Oriental Misamis The pilot landed the aircraft on a highway at Lagonglong Oriental Misamis, after the engine had stopped, but had to swerve into a coconut grove to avoid people rushing at the aircraft. Both wings were sheared off and the Otter damaged beyond economical repair. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C770)		 November 20, 1957 Vickers 784D Viscount Manila International Airport While on approach to Manila, the nose gear would not extend and the aircraft landed with the nose gear up. A trunnion had failed due to a manufacturing defect. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C55)		 December 11, 1957 de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter Labo Airport Climbing through 75 feet (23 m) after takeoff, the aircraft suddenly turned left and descended, hit two trees and caught fire. The aircraft had been improperly loaded, with the center of gravity too far to the rear; weather conditions were also a factor. Fatalities: 2
N/A
(PI-C430)		 January 12, 1960 Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer 2 Plaridel Airport Crashed following a training flight. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(PI-C12)		 July 14, 1960 Douglas C-47A En route to Cebu Bad weather at the intended destination, Zamboanga, forced the crew of the PAL DC-3 to divert to Cebu. Fuel exhaustion then forced the crew to ditch their plane in shallow water, 40 yards off the Mindanao shore. Fatalities: 0
PR S26 November 23, 1960 Douglas DC-3C Mount Baco Struck Mount Baco en route to Manila due to a possible navigational error from poor weather conditions. Fatalities: 33
PR S85 December 22, 1960 Douglas C-47A Cebu City Crashed shortly after takeoff from Lahug Airport following failure of the number one engine. Fatalities: 28
N/A
(PI-C56)		 July 27, 1962 de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter Mutya Crashed in a forest some 40 mi south of its planned course. The passenger was reportedly a suspected criminal wanted on several charges. Fatalities: 2
N/A
(PI-C503)		 October 12, 1962 Fokker F27-100 Manila International Airport The F-27 crashed shortly after takeoff during a crew training flight. The crew probably shut down the wrong engine during an engine failure drill. Fatalities: 3
N/A
(PI-C485)		 October 23, 1962 Douglas DC-3 Lumbia Airport Crashed and caught fire on landing. Fatalities: 0
PR 984 March 2, 1963 Douglas C-47B Davao City Struck Mount Boca at 3000 feet due to navigation errors. Fatalities: 27
PR 946 February 21, 1964 Douglas C-47B Marawi City Crashed due to pilot error upon landing approach. Fatalities: 31
PR F26 May 20, 1964 de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter En route from Siocon to Zamboanga The pilot continued to fly VFR into unfavourable weather over the jagged shoreline with practically zero visibility due to heavy rain. There was a heavy squall at the time and at the scene of the accident. Weather conditions in the Western Mindanao area during the day of the accident were generally unfavourable for VFR flights. When the pilot took off from Siocon the ceiling at the destination, Zamboanga, was below IFR minima. Fatalities: 11
PR 741 October 29, 1965 Douglas C-47A Near Manila Struck a tree and crashed shortly after takeoff. The pilot had not set the rudder trim tab to its proper position before takeoff and during flight; the aircraft was also overloaded. Fatalities: 1
PR 785 June 29, 1966 Douglas C-47A Sablayan Crashed due to crew error, severe turbulence and strong gusty winds. Fatalities: 26
PR 345 February 28, 1967 Fokker F27-100 Cebu City Crashed at Mactan–Cebu International Airport during landing due to an aft center-of-gravity condition resulting from improper loading. Fatalities: 12
PR 385 July 6, 1967 Fokker F27-100 Bacolod Crashed into a mountain. Fatalities: 21
N/A August 5, 1969 HS 748-209 Srs. 2 Near Zamboanga A passenger set off an explosive device, probably gelignite, in the lavatory blowing himself out of the plane. The HS-748 landed safely. Fatalities: 1
PR 158 September 12, 1969 BAC One-Eleven 402AP Antipolo Crashed short on a hill upon landing approach. Fatalities: 45
PR 215 April 21, 1970 HS 748-209 Srs. 2 Manila Crashed near Cabanatuan after a bomb exploded in the rear lavatory. Fatalities: 36
N/A
(PI-C532)		 May 9, 1970 Fokker F27-100 Maria Cristina Airport Control was lost on take-off from runway 02 in almost zero visibility. The F-27 ran off the runway and rolled over stockpiles of sand and crossed the shoulder. The left wingtip struck a stockpile of rocks, causing the aircraft to cartwheel. Fatalities: 1
N/A June 2, 1970 Fokker F27-100 Near Roxas City A hand grenade exploded inside the passenger cabin at an altitude of 13,000 feet (4,000 m). A safe emergency landing was carried out at Roxas Airport with a 9 sq ft (0.84 m2) hole in the fuselage. Fatalities: 1
N/A
(PI-C504)		 July 1, 1970 Fokker F27-200 Dumaguete Airport The F-27 overran the runway. Undercarriage and right wing were severely damaged. Fatalities: 0
N/A November 19, 1970 Douglas C-47 Manila Two C-47s (PI-C9 and PI-C15) were destroyed by a typhoon. Fatalities: 0
PR 463 November 28, 1972 HS 748-232 Srs.2 Bislig Bounced and swerved on landing. The nose gear, wings and propellers were severely damaged. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(RP-C1028)		 February 3, 1975 HS 748-222 Srs.2 Manila Crashed at Nichols Field after a fire developed in the number two engine shortly after takeoff. It was also due to crew error in their inability to deal with a standard emergency. Fatalities: 33
N/A
(RP-C1029)		 May 10, 1975 HS 748-222 Srs.2 Manila International Airport Tire burst during retraction. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(RP-C1184)		 June 3, 1975 BAC One-Eleven 524FF Near Manila During descent into Manila (at FL200) a bomb exploded in the right lavatory in the rear of the plane. The explosion caused a hole in the fuselage of 1.3 m x 4 m. A successful emergency landing was made. Fatalities: 1
PR 421 April 18, 1977 Douglas DC-8-53 Tokyo, Japan The aircraft, a Douglas DC-8-53 nicknamed "Champaca" (RP-C803), was written off after a landing accident at Haneda Airport. None
N/A
(RP-C1419)		 July 17, 1977 NAMC YS-11A-301 Mactan Island The no. 1 engine ran down and temperature rose to 850 degrees Celsius. The aircraft, on base leg for an approach to Mactan, lost height and ditched. The airplane sank in 17 feet (5.2 m) of water. Fatalities: 0
N/A
(RP-C1184)		 August 17, 1978 BAC One-Eleven 524FF En route from Cebu to Manila An explosion in the rear left lavatory blew a hole in the fuselage. The aircraft was flying at FL240 at the time, on its way from Cebu to Manila. Fatalities: 1
PR 480 July 11, 1982 HS 748-209 Srs.2 Jolo Airport The take-off was aborted at V1 when the pilots heard two unusual sounds from the no. 1 engine. The aircraft overran and came to rest against a wall and some vehicles. Fatalities: 1
N/A
(RP-C1182)		 August 4, 1984 BAC 1-11-527FK Tacloban Airport Overshot runway 36 by 100 feet (30 m) and ended up in the sea. Fatalities: 0
Unknown January 12, 1987 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 Manila International Airport A Philippine Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-10 burst a tire while taking off from Manila bound for Sydney. The cockpit crew elected to proceed with the flight and safely landed the aircraft in Sydney International Airport.[1] Fatalities: 0
PR 206 June 26, 1987 HS 748-209 Srs. 2 Itogon, Benguet Struck Mount Ugu, fifteen kilometers south of Loakan Airport in Baguio, due to poor visibility. Fatalities: 50
PR 502[2] September 19, 1987 Airbus A300B4-203 Manila International Airport An Airbus A300B4, registration serial RP-C3003, was arriving from Singapore Changi Airport when it suffered a runway excursion after landing on runway 06 at Manila International Airport. The aircraft struck the airport perimeter wall, causing the nose undercarriage to collapse rearwards.[3] Fatalities: 0
PR 443 December 13, 1987 Short 360-330 Iligan City Crashed near Maria Cristina Airport. Fatalities: 15
PR 124 July 21, 1989 BAC One-Eleven 516FP Manila Crashed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport when the aircraft overran the runway while landing, impacting several vehicles on an adjacent roadway. Ground Fatalities: 8
PR 143 May 11, 1990 Boeing 737-3Y0 Manila EI-BZG suffered an explosion in the center fuel tank near the terminal of Ninoy Aquino International Airport while preparing for takeoff. The fire and smoke engulfed the aircraft before it could be completely evacuated. The explosion was similar to what happened to the ill-fated TWA Flight 800 six years later. Fatalities: 8
Unknown July 19, 1991 Boeing 747-200 Ninoy Aquino International Airport A Philippine Airlines Boeing 747-200 arriving from Honolulu ran off the runway while landing under heavy rain. The aircraft was safely evacuated with no injuries among the 285 passengers and 16 crew.[4] Fatalities: 0
PR 434 December 11, 1994 Boeing 747-283BM Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan A small bomb exploded underneath the seat (seat 26K) of Japanese businessman Haruki Ikegami. Ikegami died due to injuries sustained in the explosion, the only fatality on board. The aircraft landed safely. Investigators later found that Ramzi Yousef planted the bomb there to test it out for a terrorist attack he was planning, Project Bojinka. The plan was foiled after an apartment fire in Manila led investigators to the laptop computer and disks containing the plan. Fatalities: 1
PR 137 March 22, 1998 Airbus A320-214 Bacolod The aircraft overran the runway of Bacolod City Domestic Airport and crashed, plowing through homes near its end. Ground Fatalities: 3
PR 475 October 26, 2007 Airbus A320-214 Butuan The aircraft, with 148 passengers on board, overshot the runway of Bancasi Airport. Injuries: 19
PR 512 October 7, 2013 Airbus A330-301 Ninoy Aquino Intl' Airport Flight PR512, an Airbus A330-301, departed Singapore-Changi International Airport at 20:13 hours local time, with destination Manila, Philippines. On board were 11 crew members and 203 passengers. The aircraft landed at Manila about 23:00 following an uneventful flight. The aircraft parked at Bay 43 of Terminal 2 at 23:05 hours. The doors were opened and the flight crew allowed passengers to deplane and cargo to be offloaded.

At about 23:25 when the checklist for securing and parking the aircraft was completed, the Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) warning indicated smoke in the aft cargo hold. Then, the rear cabin crew heard crackling sounds and later noticed smoke coming from the rear of the cabin. One of the rear cabin crew rushed to the cockpit and personally relayed to the captain that there was smoke in the rear of the cabin. At this point, the captain with the FO went out of the cockpit and verified the smoke. The captain went back to the cockpit alone, and discharged the fire extinguishing bottles for the aft cargo compartment and then went out of cockpit. After a while, upon remembering that the battery was already off, the captain returned to the cockpit, put on the battery and repeated the firing of the fire extinguishing bottles for the aft cargo compartment.

After this, at about 23:55 the captain departed the aircraft since the cause and source of the smoke was undetermined. When the aft cargo door was opened, thick smoke and hot air started pushing out. The cargo loader immediately moved away from the aft cargo door and returned to close the door. Fire services attended to suppress the fire and smoke. Then the cargo loaders unloaded the Unit Loading Devices (ULDs) that were affected by fire. Initial investigation conducted showed that out of the six ULDs in the aft cargo compartment for baggage and cargo, four were affected by the fire. The aft cargo compartment showed substantial damage by fire.

 Injuries: 0
PR 115 July 7, 2017 Airbus A340-300 San Francisco Intl' Airport Air Canada Flight 759 mistakenly attempted a landing on a SFO taxiway on July 7. A new NTSB report indicates that the plane was as low as 60 feet when it passed over Philippine Airlines Flight 115 - possibly as close as five feet away from the plane's tail fin. Three United planes are also involved in the incident. Injuries: 0
PR 117 September 24, 2018 Airbus A340-313 Vancouver International Airport An Airbus A340-300 aircraft operated by Philippines Airlines, was conducting Flight 117 from Vancouver International Airport, Canada to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines. As the aircraft was accelerating for take off on runway 08R at Vancouver, the air traffic tower controller heard a loud boom. The runway was closed for inspection, and tire and other debris were found on the runway. Runway 08R was closed for 15 minutes to clean it up; a few departures and arrivals were delayed. Flight 117 continued its flight to Manila without further incident.

Following the landing at Manila, several holes in the skin were found in the landing gear area. The aircraft received substantial damage to the belly, as well as the Center Landing Gear (CLG) fairing door.

 Injuries: 0
RP C8612 July 7, 2026 Airbus 320 Ninoy Aquino International Airport A parked PAL Airbus 320 was hit at the tail section by Saudi Flight SV871 (Boeing 787) while taxiing for departure. Saudia's aircraft also sustained a damaged on its wingtip. [5][6] Injuries: 0

Hijackings and near misses

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  • On December 30, 1952, after takeoff from Laoag International Airport, an armed man forced his way into the cockpit. He pulled out a .45-caliber pistol and demanded that the plane be brought to Xiamen, in mainland China. The captain took over control from the co-pilot and put the plane into a steep dive. The hijacker did not lose his balance, and shot and killed the captain, forcing the co-pilot to retake control. A flight attendant had come up to the cockpit to find out what was going on; as he knocked, the hijacker shot him twice through the cockpit door, killing him. The co-pilot changed course to China and continued at 6,000 feet (1,800 m) over the China Sea until two Chinese Nationalists T-6 Harvard planes showed up. Both planes chased the DC-3 and sprayed machine gun fire. The pilot managed to escape until he met with other Nationalist planes, who forced the flight to land at Quemoy. At Quemoy the hijacker was arrested.[7]
  • On November 6, 1968, four men hijacked Philippine Airlines Flight 158A, a Fokker F27, just before its descent to Manila. After taking over the aircraft, the hijackers proceeded through the cabin, demanding money and valuables from the passengers. A federal policeman drew his firearm and opened fire, beginning a firefight. One bullet went through a window and other bullets hit the cabin wall. One passenger was shot in the crossfire and died. The aircraft landed safely at Manila and taxied to a remote area of the airport. The hijackers took the pilot and two other crew members hostage before releasing them at the airport fence, after which the hijackers got away in a car.[8]
  • On March 30, 1971, six hijackers hijacked a Philippines Airlines BAC One-Eleven en route to Davao City and ordered the pilot to divert the plane to Guangzhou, China. En route, the pilot requested for a refueling stop in Hong Kong where 20 passengers where freed. The plane proceeded to Guangzhou where the hijackers disembarked and requested asylum. The rest of the passengers where freed by Chinese authorities and the aircraft returned to Manila the following day.[9][10][11]
  • On October 11, 1973, three men opposed to the Marcos regime hijacked a Philippine Airlines BAC One-Eleven and demanded to be flown to Hong Kong. A refueling stop was made at Manila, where all 48 passengers were released in exchange for Philippine Air Lines president Benigno Toda Jr. The aircraft continued to Hong Kong where the hijackers surrendered.[12]
  • On February 25, 1975, two men, armed with a homemade gun, two hand grenades and an Armalite rifle, hijacked a Philippine Airlines Douglas DC-3A (RP-C941) and ordered the pilot to fly to Cebu City, where 12 passengers were released. The aircraft continued to Manila, where the remaining 13 passengers and three crew were released after three hours of negotiations. One hijacker claimed that he was convicted on false evidence and that the trial judge was biased. President Marcos intervened with an offer of "conditional pardon" and both hijackers surrendered.[13]
  • On October 7, 1975, one hijacker on a Philippine Airlines BAC One-Eleven bound from Davao to Manila demanded to be taken to Libya. He surrendered.[14]
  • On April 7, 1976, a BAC One-Eleven was hijacked by three men and demanded USD $300,000 and the release of numerous political prisoners. At Manila, the hijackers exchanged all the passengers for another set of hostages and USD $300,000 in cash. During the next six days, the hijackers flew to Kota Kinbalu and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and then to Bangkok, Thailand. At Bangkok the airline supplied a Douglas DC-8. The hijackers along with 12 PAL staff members continued to Karachi, Pakistan and finally to Benghazi, Libya. At Benghazi the hijackers released the remaining hostages and requested political asylum.[15]
  • On May 21, 1976, Philippine Airlines Flight 116, a BAC One-Eleven en route from Davao to Manila, was hijacked by six rebels, demanding $375,000 and a plane to fly them to Libya. Negotiations between the police and the hijackers lasted for 2 days until May 23, when authorities stormed the plane. A gun battle ensued and lasted for hours. The hijackers subsequently detonated a hand grenade in the cabin, which burned the aircraft and killed 10 passengers and 3 hijackers. The remaining three hijackers were caught and were executed by a firing squad.[16][17]
  • On July 12, 1980, waiting until a crewmember opened the door, the hijacker entered the cockpit of the Boeing 727 shortly after takeoff and stated he had two confederates aboard who had a bomb. He demanded USD $6 million and demanded to be flown to Libya. He agreed to release all but 10 American passengers. Actually there were no Americans aboard. He demanded that the other passengers be notified that there was a bomb aboard. The hijacker was told that such an announcement could not be made from the cockpit. When the hijacker left the cockpit to call a flight attendant the crew locked the cockpit door. The aircraft then returned to Manila where Philippine security personnel boarded and took the hijacker into custody.[18]
  • On May 21, 1982, a man with a hand grenade, demanding better conditions for sugar workers and coconut farmers, held 109 people hostage aboard a Philippine Airlines jet bound from Bacolod to Cebu. The plane was on the ground at Cebu. The unidentified hijacker also demanded pay raises for teachers and back pay for veterans.[19][20]
  • On May 25, 2000, Philippine Airlines Flight 812, en route from Davao to Manila, was hijacked by a man with marital problems. The hijacker was pushed out of the aircraft before arrival by a flight attendant and used a homemade parachute in escaping, with none of the other passengers and crew being injured or killed.[21]

References

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  1. ↑ "Jet makes emergency landing on shredded tire". Sydney, Australia. United Press International. January 12, 1987.
  2. ↑ "PAL Airbus jetliner makes emergency landing in Manila". UPI. September 19, 1987.
  3. ↑ Runway excursion Accident Airbus A300B4-203 RP-C3003, Aviation Safety network
  4. ↑ "Philippine Airlines jet overshoots runway". Manila, Philippines. United Press International. July 19, 1991.
  5. ↑ Fernandez, Ariel (July 8, 2026). "PAL, Saudia aircraft damaged in NAIA ground incident; probe launched". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  6. ↑ Vergara, Benjamin L. (July 8, 2026). "PAL plane sustains tail fin damage after Saudia jet collision at NAIA". The Manila Times. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  7. ↑ Unlawful Interference Douglas DC-3 PI-C38, Aviation Safety network
  8. ↑ Unlawful Interference Fokker F-27 Friendship, Aviation Safety network
  9. ↑ Hijacking description, Aviation Safety network
  10. ↑ Plane Hijacked to Red China; Waukegan Man is Aboard, Chicago Tribune, March 30, 1971
  11. ↑ Jet Hijacked in Red China Flies Back to Hong Kong, Chicago Tribune, March 31, 1971
  12. ↑ Hijacking description, Aviation Safety network
  13. ↑ Hijacking description, Aviation Safety network
  14. ↑ Unlawful Interference BAC One-Eleven, Aviation Safety network
  15. ↑ Unlawful Interference BAC One-Eleven, Aviation Safety network
  16. ↑ Hijacking description, Aviation Safety network
  17. ↑ "PHILIPPINES: PHILIPPINES HIJACK SHOOTOUT". British Pathé. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  18. ↑ Hijacking description, Aviation Safety network
  19. ↑ Man With a Grenade Seizes 109 on Jetliner in Philippines, The New York Times, May 21, 1982
  20. ↑ Hijacking description, Aviation Safety Network
  21. ↑ Hijacking description, Aviation Safety network
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