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Philippines' C-130 fleet grounded pending result of Sulu crash investigation

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - The Philippines&#x27; C-130 fleet had been grounded pending the result of of the investigation on Sunday&#x27;s crash in Sulu which <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/06/21/c130-crash-sulu-death-toll-53">claimed the lives</a> of 50 soldiers and 3 civilians, the Air Force said Tuesday.</p><p>In a statement, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said members of the 220th Airlift Wing Aircraft Accident Investigation Board are already at the crash site on Jolo island. </p><p>&quot;The team is gathering evidence and conducting interviews, among others, to determine the cause of the accident... The PAF has grounded its C-130 fleet pending the result of the investigation,&quot; the statement read. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/07/05/21/c-130-plane-sulu-crash-timeline">Timeline of C-130 plane that crashed in Sulu</a></li></ul><p>In an interview on ABS-CBN&#x27;s TeleRadyo, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said the military had five C-130 planes in their inventory until the tragic accident happened.</p><p>Of the four left, only one is capable to operate as the others are under maintenance.</p><p>&quot;Grounded lahat. Pero yung isang... actually na pwedeng ibalik sa operational status, yung palapit na ang curing period after undergoing the maintenance period. Yung 2, nasa Portugal ngayon. Sa 5, 4 na lang po ang naiwan,&quot; said Sobejana.</p><p>(They are all grounded but one of the planes can be reverted to operational status soon, since its curing period is nearing after undergoing maintenance. The other 2 are in Portugal. Of the five in the inventory, only four are left.) </p><p>&quot;Wala pa yung... ibalik sa operational or flying status. For the meantime muna, grounded.&quot; </p><p>(It remains to be seen when the planes would be returned to operational or flying status.)</p><div><strong>WATCH</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1721764" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Sobejana and the PAF maintained that the Hercules C-130 transport plane was not overloaded.</p><p>&quot;It was well within the operational limits and capacity when it left Laguindingan Airport with 96 passengers compared to its maximum capacity of 120 passengers; this is contrary to the circulating rumor that the aircraft was overloaded,&quot; the PAF said. </p><p>The passengers, authorities said, include 12 PAF personnel and 84 members of the Army. </p><p>The ill-fated aircraft, which the Philippines acquired from the United States earlier this year, has a maximum payload capability of 19,000 kilograms.</p><p>While it was not brand new, having been used by the US since 1988, it was in very good condition, officials have said. It also has 11,000 flying hours left.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/04/21/at-least-40-rescued-after-c130-plane-crashes-in-sulu-military-chief">Death toll rises in C-130 plane crash in Sulu, several still missing</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/05/21/philippines-mourning-soldiers-civilians-dead-c130-sulu-plane-crash-duterte">&#x27;Worst crash of military aircraft:&#x27; Philippines mourns dozens killed in Sulu plane crash</a></li></ul><p>Before the fatal crash in Jolo happened, the plane transported Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr. and his family to Cagayan De Oro from Manila on the same day.</p><p>On Monday, authorities were able to obtain the plane&#x27;s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder.</p><p>Sobejana said these would be turned over to their US counterparts to retrieve the content.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/07/05/21/crashed-c-130-planes-black-box-recovered">READ: Crashed C-130 plane&#x27;s black box recovered</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1720821" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div> </div>

<p>The Philippines' C-130 fleet had been grounded pending the result of of the investigation on Sunday's crash in Sulu which claimed the lives of 50 soldiers and 3 civilians, the Air Force said Tuesday.<br /> </p>

The Philippines' C-130 fleet had been grounded pending the result of of the investigation on Sunday's crash in Sulu which claimed the lives of 50 soldiers and 3 civilians, the Air Force said Tuesday.