Posted on 03/04/2025 1:58:09 PM PST by nickcarraway
A US-contracted surveillance plane crashed in the Philippines on Thursday morning, killing all four personnel on board, including one US military service member, according to US Indo-Pacific Command.
The crash occurred in Maguindanao del Sur in the southern Philippines. Images from the crash site, confirmed by a US defense official, show the wreckage of a Beechcraft King Air 350 in a rice field. The official said the service member killed in the crash was a US Marine. It is unclear if the three defense contractors were also US citizens.
The twin-engine turboprop aircraft was contracted by the Defense Department to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance at the request of the Philippines, Indo-Pacific Command said. The crash occurred during a “routine mission,” and the cause of the crash is under investigation. The aircraft is registered to Metrea Special Aerospace ISR, Inc., according to publicly available data. Metrea’s website shows a Beechcraft King Air 350 – the type of aircraft that crashed – and advertises “integrated, turnkey Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (AISR) solutions to our defense partners.”
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Ping
Beechcraft King Air 350, also known as the “Doctor Killer”. Apparently, it has “personality” and isn’t very forgiving if you make a mistake.
Beechcraft King Air 350, also known as the “Doctor Killer”. Apparently, it has “personality” and isn’t very forgiving if you make a mistake.
Not really. It’s a very safe plane with no vices. The interesting part is that a PI fighter jet AND a US contractor ISR plane went down over there in the same day.
That should raise eyebrows.
AAA.
The Beechcraft Bonanza with the “v” tail came to be known as the doctor killer
Isn’t that the “V-Tail Bonanza”?
You can go back to sleep now.
Didn’t one of those go down a few weeks ago?
This is like the 2nd one with contractors in the past month
These kind of contracts should be canceled.
Thanks for ping, Nick!
A twin engine plane ‘goes down’ killing all onboard? IMO enemy action. And an ISR flight would be the highest priority for insurgents.
Someone getting spicy with our airplanes?
YW.
Good question. I don’t know, but two PI planes engaged in military action down on the same day sure seems suspicious.
It was the V-tail. And today’s version of the Dentist Killer is the Cirrus 22. Great plane, parachute recovery, and still a very high death rate. It’s a lot of unforgiving performance that is financially achievable.
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