A Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane of the Philippine Air Force caught fire while about to take off from Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Pampanga yesterday.
Major Aristides Galang, PAF spokesperson, said the fire occurred at 7:10 a.m. while the plane was on the holding point of the base’s runway.
Upon seeing the flames, the flight crew immediately alerted firefighters at 7:13 a.m. who then extinguished it around 7: 36 a.m. No one was reported hurt.
The plane, with tail number 4726, was supposed to transport students from the National Defense College of the Philippines to Palawan then to Pagasa Island.
The postponed trip is part of the curriculum of the students taking up Masters Degree in National Security Administration.
Galang did not give specifics on the exact cause of the fire and damages on the C-130 pending results of the investigation.
The C-130 is the primary cargo lift aircraft of the PAF. There are five in service at present. (PNA and Francis Wakefield)