06 May 2017
A UH-1D Helicopter with tail number 8469 of the Philippine Air Force crash landed on May 4, 2017 around 02:56 p.m. in Sitio Hilltop, Barangay Sampaloc in Tanay, Rizal that resulted to the death of one pilot and two crew members – Captain Christian Paul T Litan PAF (pilot-in-command), 30, from Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas; Staff Sergeant Byron T Tolosa PAF (crew chief), 38, from Barangay Villamor, Pasay City; and Airman First Class Joseph C De Leon PAF (gunner), 30, from Lingayen, Pangasinan – while First Lieutenant Ceazar M Rimas PAF (co-pilot), 27, from General Trias City, Cavite got injured.
The PAF Commanding General, Lieutenant General Edgar R Fallorina AFP, immediately sent out personnel from the 505th Search and Rescue group to perform rescue and retrieval operations and make initial assessment regarding the accident. Likewise, the PAF has already sent a probing team to conduct a thorough investigation of the accident, as well as inspect other UH-1D Helicopters per standard operating procedure.
The PAF will have no further comments until such investigation is concluded.
