Mar 17, 2009, 10:40 GMT
Manila - A senior aviation official was suspended Tuesday after his son nearly caused an air disaster in an eastern Philippine city by using a runway to teach his girlfriend to drive just as a passenger plane was about to land.
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza suspended Legazpi City Aviation chief Frisco Sto Domingo, whose son's driving escapade over the weekend nearly caused a domestic passenger plane to crash, according to press secretary Cerge Remonde.
The Cebu Pacific Air flight carrying 80 passengers was descending Saturday at the Legazpi City airport, 360 kilometres south-east of Manila, when the pilot quickly pulled up after he saw a passenger van moving fast on the runway.
Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal told the Philippine Star newspaper the van was driven by the son of Sto Domingo, who was teaching his girlfriend how to drive.
'That van could have turned us into a fireball had I not successfully aborted landing,' Rosal quoted the French pilot as telling aviation security officials.
The plane was able to land safely after circling in the air for a few minutes to allow the van to leave the runway.
Sto Domingo's son allegedly admitted to using the runway as an access road to his residence. The son said he thought all the flights were completed in the morning, making the runway free in the afternoon.
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