Philippine Airlines Flight 143
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 EI-BZG, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 1989 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 11, 1990 |
| Summary | Fuel tank explosion while on ground |
| Site | |
 | |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737-3Y0 |
| Operator | Philippine Airlines |
| IATA flight No. | PR143 |
| ICAO flight No. | PAL143 |
| Call sign | PHILIPPINE 143 |
| Registration | EI-BZG |
| Flight origin | Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines |
| Destination | Iloilo Mandurriao Airport, Iloilo City, Philippines |
| Occupants | 120 |
| Passengers | 114[1] |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 8 |
| Injuries | 82 |
| Survivors | 112 |
Philippine Airlines Flight 143 (PR143) was a domestic flight from Manila Ninoy Aquino Airport, Manila, to Mandurriao Airport, Iloilo City, Philippines. On May 11, 1990, at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport the Boeing 737-300 (C/N 24466, MSN 1771) assigned to the route suffered an explosion in the central fuel tank and was consumed by fire in as little as four minutes.[2][3] This accident marked the first hull loss of a 737-300.
The air temperature had been high at the time of the accident, about 35 °C (95 °F), while the Boeing 737-300 was parked at Manila. The air conditioning packs, located beneath the center wing fuel tank of the 737, had been running on the ground before pushback (approximately 30 to 45 minutes). The center wing fuel tank, which had not been filled in two months, likely contained some fuel vapors. Shortly after pushback a powerful explosion in the center fuel tank pushed the cabin floor violently upward. The wing tanks ruptured, causing the airplane to burst into flames.
The majority of the 112 survivors managed to escape via the emergency escape ropes and emergency exits.