PAL probes plane’s rapid drop to 425 ft near Clark, passengers safe

Insider Spotlight

• Philippine Airlines says it is reviewing the May 23 incident involving flight PR2679 after the flight encountered windshear during final approach to Clark
• Flightradar24 data reviewed online appeared to show unusually sharp altitude changes during the missed approach maneuver
• Passengers took to social media alleging distress and confusion after the aircraft diverted to Manila and they were initially not allowed to disembark

Philippine Airlines said it is conducting a review into the incident involving a PAL Express flight after the carrier’s De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 encountered severe weather conditions while attempting to land at Clark International Airport on May 23, 2026.

Flight PR2679, which originated from Busuanga and was bound for Clark, executed a missed approach after encountering windshear conditions during final approach, according to the airline.

In a statement issued May 24, PAL said the pilots “executed a standard missed approach procedure in accordance with established safety protocols” before later diverting the aircraft to Manila because of adverse weather affecting the Clark area.

Why it matters

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed what appeared to be unusually aggressive flight maneuvers by the pilots of the aircraft with registry number RP-C5912 after the aborted landing attempt.

The same data showed the Q400 rapidly climbing at more than 11,000 feet per minute before later descending at rates exceeding 8,000 feet per minute near Clark airspace. The rapid drop ended with the turboprop only 425 feet above the ground some 4 kilometers east of the town of Bamban in Tarlac, the Flightradar24 data showed.

The aircraft eventually landed safely in Manila.

Aviation observers noted that such figures appeared significantly steeper than conventional climb and descent profiles during routine missed approaches.

But the airline said “the aircraft’s rates of ascent and descent during the maneuver were consistent with windshear avoidance and recovery procedures under the prevailing conditions, and the crew remained in full control of the aircraft at all times.”

“Preliminary interpretations based solely on publicly available flight tracking data do not provide a complete or authoritative picture of the aircraft’s performance or the prevailing flight conditions,” it added.

Passenger concern

Social media users alleged passenger distress following the diversion to Manila, with some saying travelers were not permitted to immediately disembark after landing.

In responses posted on X, PAL acknowledged the concerns.

“We understand the distress and inconvenience this situation has caused,” the airline wrote in one reply to a passenger.

The carrier said passengers were “assisted accordingly” upon arrival in Manila.

PAL said the incident review would form part of “normal protocol” and that findings would be reported to appropriate authorities. The airline reiterated that “safety remains our highest priority” and emphasized that pilots are trained to take “the most prudent course of action whenever weather conditions are not conducive for landing.”

— Edited by Daxim L. Lucas