On April 19, 2000, the Boeing 737-2H4 crashed in Samal, Davao del Norte while on approach to the airport, killing all 124 passengers and 7 crew members.

[1] The aircraft, a Boeing 737-2H4, registration RP-C3010 and previously owned by Southwest Airlines as N50SW, was first delivered in February 1978 and was sold to Air Philippines 20 years later.

[3] The flight was packed as it was the start of celebrating the Easter season and transportation services across the Philippines are particularly heavily crowded, with people taking advantage of the long holidays going back to their hometowns from different places in the country.

When Flight 541 broke free from the clouds the crew observed that the aircraft had not yet cleared the runway, at which time they advised ATC, or air traffic control, a missed approach procedure should be performed.

Flight 541 hit a coconut tree about 500 feet (150 m) above sea level, and crashed a few miles east of Francisco Bangoy International Airport.