LEGAZPI CITY –- An Asian Spirit YS-11 plane from Metro Manila crash-landed 20 meters away from the runway of the Masbate Airport at about 7:20 a.m. yesterday, Jan. 2, a police report reaching here said.

        Senior Supt Saadra Gani, Masbate police provincial director said all the 43 passengers – composed of 36 adults and seven children -- and crew were not hurt during the freak accident.

        Gani said strong winds forced the plane, piloted by Alyssandro Tigalo, to crash-land at Barangay Mercury.

        Cokie Medina, Masbate provincial tourism officer told Bicol Mail over a mobile phone interview that the plane bumped into the wall of the airport’s runway after it was hit by a tailwind.

        “The plane regularly flying from Manila to Masbate province overshot the wall of the airport’s runway due to strong winds; luckily no one was hurt,” Medina said.

        A report disclosed that while the plane was negotiating the 1.3 -kilometer runway after landing, it was caught by a sudden tailwind with gustiness of 14 knots that forced the plane to skid and overshoot the end of the runway.

        Authorities have placed the initial damages at P30 million.

        Air Transport Office (ATO) authorities said the plane’s right propeller, aircraft nozzle, and right nose wheel were destroyed and the fuel tank leaked after the skid, while the ATO concrete fence was also destroyed.