Capt Bong Camposagrado sits inside his office at Cauayan, Isabela. He is widely-known in the city as the pilot who survived Sierra Madre. Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
ISABELA — The plane crash happened in the 1970s, but Capt. Bong Camposagrado still bears reminders of the injuries he incurred that day — stitches on his head and a broken set of teeth.
In his 20s at the time, Camposagrado, with four passengers, were on their way to Cauayan Domestic Airport from the coastal municipality of Palanan. They were supposed to bring an ill patient to a hospital in Cauayan, Isabela. While on their way across the Sierra Madre, thick clouds and strong winds turned their aircraft almost upside down.
“Bumaliktad 'yung eroplano because of the turbulence. So maybe, in my younger days, mainit ang dugo na gusto ko makatulong. So when I recovered, dito na pala ako sa west side [of Sierra Madre], nalagpasan ko na 'yung peak. I could not control the plane anymore because of the strong wind. Dumikit ako sa kahoy, and it so happened 'yung kahoy lumaki," Camposagrado recalled.
He sent a distress message before the crash. However, the challenge was to find him and the passengers in the dense forests of Sierra Madre in the '70s, when technology-aided search was limited.
One of the planes operated by CampoSagrado. Their family pioneered general aviation in the province of Isabela. Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
The Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the Philippines. It acts as a shield against typhoons for Luzon. But its vastness and unpredictable weather can be challenging for many aircraft to cross. Even experienced mountain trekkers find the Sierra Madre tough to traverse.
Camposagrado and the passengers had no choice but to survive until they were found. The plane's nose broke on impact and wounded him and the passengers. Camposagrado recalled he had to stitch his cuts by himself.
The Northern Sierra Madre mountain range. Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
The Northern Sierra Madre mountain range. Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
“Nabali 'yung nguso tapos tumalsik 'yung cargo. Kami naka-belt sa loob, and then 'yung kahoy sa right wing namin pumasok sa ilalim ng seats namin. Nabali 'yung paa ng katabi ko. Hinawakan ko na 'yung kahoy and then we went down. When we went down ay heavy rains talaga. Complete kami sa survival kit kasi SOP namin 'yang mga pilot-mechanic,” Camposagrado said.
“Tinahi ko ito," he said, referring to his forehead and crown. "During the time of accident pala wala ka palang pakiramdam. 'Yung sugat mo, wala... Pero 'yung pasahero ko minor lang sila. 'Yung dalawa walang sugat so we went down and then ito nga dumugo sa nose ko, akala ko internal hemorrhage," Camposagrado added.
The first night was not easy, Camposagrado recounted. Aside from the inclement weather, another challenge was that their flare gun was not working.
Camposagrado talks about the injuries he sustained from the plane crash. Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
Camposagrado talks about the injuries he sustained from the plane crash. Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
Camposagrado talks about the injuries he sustained from the plane crash. Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
"Iyong first night talagang maiiyak ka kasi heavy rains. Malamig. Lahat ng diyos tatawagin mo in fact sa takot. Tatawagin mo, iiyak ka talaga. Pag gabi na you will cry… Pagdating ng araw mabubuhayan ka ng loob," Camposagrado said.
They were in the middle of the forest with thick vegetation far from a river. Camposagrado and the passengers created a fire in the hope of emitting noticeable smoke, to signal whoever was searching for them. The canopy let in little sunlight, and most of the time, heavy rain poured. The amount of smoke they managed to create just vanished into the low-lying clouds.
With no flare gun and smoke signal, Camposagrado and his companions cut a portion of the aircraft to reflect the sun into the sky.
Capt. Bong Camposagrado poses beside an aircraft in the '70s before the crash. Courtesy of Camposagrado
“On the second day nakita na kami pero nawala 'yung smoke kasi sa heavy rains. Wala ako magawa... Naggunting kami ng scale ng plane pang-sinag. Walang use. Sumusunod sa contour ng lupa at bundok at sa clouds,” Camposagrado said.
To survive, Camposagrado and the passengers ate the emergency food and the fighting cocks on board the plane. Camposagrado recalled that he bit the chicken raw, damaging his teeth in the process. They used the empty biscuit tin can to boil water.
This was their routine for six straight days.
“We survived. In fact, we [could] survive for one month because we had a complete survival kit. We had food. Makakakuha ka naman sa jungle. May fighting cocks kami na dala kaya ganiyan 'yan," he said, referring to his teeth.
"Hindi ko na pinaayos, parang remembrance. Hindi ko pinaayos kaya ganiyan. Kakakain ng manok na may dugo-dugo pa."
After six days, they were airlifted by his father — a pioneer of general aviation in Isabela.
Capt. Bong Camposagrado continued flying for several more years after the crash in the '70s. Courtesy of Camposagrado
Camposagrado's story is known all over Cauayan, Isabela, as the plane crash that vanished for six days and miraculously came back with survivors.
Camposagrado now runs a pilot training school in Cauayan, Isabela, and requires his pilots-in-training to always stay on the given route and not fly if the weather is unfavorable.
He said if there is one thing he learned from that six days stranded Sierra Madre, it is that Mother Nature can both be a friend and one's worst enemy.