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A Philippine Air Force (PAF) pilot was killed along with his two crewmen while another one was injured when their UH-1D “Huey” combat utility helicopter crashed in Tanay, Rizal Wednesday.

1st Lt. Xy-zon Meneses, 2nd Infantry Division public affairs office chief, said the mishap took place 3 p.m. at Sitio Hilltop, Barangay Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal.

He declined to identify the casualties pending the notification of their loved ones and families.

Initial reports indicated that the UH-1D had just finished conducting air-to-ground and disaster rescue operations training with troops stationed in 2nd Infantry Division headquarters in Camp Capinpin along with some 12 police operatives when it encountered some mechanical trouble, forcing it to crash-land.

Investigation is still ongoing to determine exact cause of the mishap as of this posting.

Air Force spokesman Colonel Antonio Francisco said all UH-1D helicopters were ordered grounded.

According to report by GMA News Online, the UH-ID that crashed is one of the 7 delivered refurbished UH-1Ds by Rice Aircraft Services Inc.

The contract with Rice was supposedly 21-chopper deal but it was partially cancelled, March 2015, by then Department of National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. The deal faced controversy.

“You failed to comply with the agreed schedule of requirement of the contract agreement, which provides that the delivery should be within 180 calendar days upon opening of the Letter of Credit – The deadline for the delivery for the contract is on 23 September 2014,” the notice sent to Robert Rice Jr. reads. with PNA