PAL dismisses viral flight-tracking claims over Clark incident

The flight encountered wind shear, executed a missed approach, and diverted safely to Manila.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has pushed back against online speculation surrounding PAL Express Flight PR2679, saying viral interpretations of flight-tracking data do not provide a complete picture of what happened during the aircraft’s final approach into Clark International Airport.

The flight from Busuanga to Clark on May 23 encountered windshear during final approach, prompting pilots to carry out a standard missed approach procedure in line with safety protocols, PAL said.

The aircraft did not complete its landing at Clark and later diverted to Manila due to continuing adverse weather in the area. It landed safely, with passengers assisted upon arrival.

Dismantling the Flightradar24 panic

Online discussions were fueled by Flightradar24 flight-tracking screenshots that appeared to show sharp changes in altitude and speed during the maneuver. PAL said the aircraft’s rates of ascent and descent were consistent with windshear avoidance and recovery procedures under the prevailing conditions.

“The crew remained in full control of the aircraft at all times,” the airline said in a statement, adding that conclusions based solely on publicly available flight-tracking data do not provide a complete or authoritative account of the aircraft’s performance or weather conditions at the time.

The incident prompted discussion on social media, with aviation observers noting that ADS-B and flight-tracking data can sometimes produce misleading readings during low-altitude maneuvers and adverse weather.

PAL said it is conducting a review of the incident and will submit findings to the appropriate authorities.

 

 

Crowdsourced radar maps don’t tell the full story. Philippine Airlines corrects viral flight-tracking claims over a routine Clark diversion.