2001 Japan Airlines mid-air incident: Difference between revisions
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The mid-air incident occurred as [[flight attendant]]s began to serve drinks. <ref name="Yomiuri">"[http://www.fsv2000.at/woche/2001_05/daily_yoijuri.htm JAL planes almost collide]," ''[[Yomiuri Shimbun]]''</ref> |
The mid-air incident occurred as [[flight attendant]]s began to serve drinks. <ref name="Yomiuri">"[http://www.fsv2000.at/woche/2001_05/daily_yoijuri.htm JAL planes almost collide]," ''[[Yomiuri Shimbun]]''</ref> |
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The two planes were on a collision course and the pilots of both planes had received conflicting instructions from their [[TCAS]] and the flight controller at the Tokyo Air Traffic Control Center in [[Tokorozawa]], [[Saitama Prefecture]]. Flight 907, headed by 40-year old pilot Makoto Watanabe, followed an order to descend issued by the flight controller while Flight 958, headed by pilot Tatsuyuki Akazawa, descended as instructed by the TCAS meaning that both planes remained on a collision course. A trainee for the aerospace sector intended to tell Flight 958 to descend, but he instead told Flight 907 to descend.<ref name="JapanTimesBlame"/> |
The two planes were on a collision course and the pilots of both planes had received conflicting instructions from their [[TCAS]] and the flight controller at the Tokyo Air Traffic Control Center in [[Tokorozawa]], [[Saitama Prefecture]]. Flight 907, headed by 40-year old pilot Makoto Watanabe, followed an order to descend issued by the flight controller while Flight 958, headed by pilot Tatsuyuki Akazawa, descended as instructed by the TCAS meaning that both planes remained on a collision course. A trainee for the aerospace sector intended to tell Flight 958 to descend, but he instead told Flight 907 to descend.<ref name="JapanTimesBlame"/> filled each others windscreens.<ref name="DeadlyCross">"Deadly Crossroads," ''[[Mayday (TV series)|Mayday]]''</ref> |
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Watanabe avoided disaster when he abruptly forced the aircraft to dive based on a visual |
Watanabe avoided disaster when he abruptly forced the aircraft to dive based on a visual judgment, saving a total of 677 people including himself. <ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1149000/1149664.stm Controllers blamed for near-miss]," ''[[BBC]]''</ref> If the collision occurred, it would have been the deadliest civil aviation accident in terms of passenger lives. The aircraft missed each other by less than 100 metres.<ref name="DeadlyCross"/> |
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81 passengers on the 747 sustained minor injuries and 7 passengers sustained serious injuries. 2 crew members on the 747 sustained serious injuries and 10 crew members sustained minor injuries. Some unbelted passengers, flight attendants, and drink carts hit the ceiling, dislodging some ceiling tiles. <ref name="Yomiuri"/> Most of the injuries to occupants consisted of bruising. One woman broke her leg.<ref name="CloseCall">"[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/01/31/world/main268432.shtml Close Call For JAL Jets]," ''[[CBS News]]''</ref> In addition, a drink cart spilled, scalding some passengers. No passengers on the DC-10 sustained injuries. <ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1145914.stm Signals blamed for near collision]," ''[[BBC]]''</ref> Flight 907, with the 747's cabin bearing minor damage, returned to Haneda, landing at 4:45 PM. |
81 passengers on the 747 sustained minor injuries and 7 passengers sustained serious injuries. 2 crew members on the 747 sustained serious injuries and 10 crew members sustained minor injuries. Some unbelted passengers, flight attendants, and drink carts hit the ceiling, dislodging some ceiling tiles. <ref name="Yomiuri"/> Most of the injuries to occupants consisted of bruising. One woman broke her leg.<ref name="CloseCall">"[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/01/31/world/main268432.shtml Close Call For JAL Jets]," ''[[CBS News]]''</ref> In addition, a drink cart spilled, scalding some passengers. No passengers on the DC-10 sustained injuries. <ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1145914.stm Signals blamed for near collision]," ''[[BBC]]''</ref> Flight 907, with the 747's cabin bearing minor damage, returned to Haneda, landing at 4:45 PM. |
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Revision as of 01:14, 21 January 2008
 CG render of JA8904 diving under JA8546 | |
| Occurrence | |
|---|---|
| Date | January 31, 2001 |
| Summary | ATC error |
| Site | near Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 747-446D |
| Operator | Japan Airlines |
| Registration | JA8904 [1] |
| Flight origin | Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) |
| Destination | Naha International Airport Okinawa |
| Passengers | 411 |
| Crew | 16 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 9 |
| Survivors | 427 (all) |
On Wednesday, January 31, 2001, two Japan Airlines aircraft narrowly avoided a mid-air collision.
Japan Airlines Flight 907, using a Boeing 747-446D bound from Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan to Naha International Airport in Naha, Okinawa, Japan and Japan Airlines Flight 958, using a Douglas DC-10-40D bound from Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea to Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, nearly collided over the Suruga Bay near Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Flight information
Japan Airlines Flight 907 had 411 passengers and 16 crew, and Japan Airlines Flight 958 had 237 passengers and 13 crew. [2] Flight 907, using an aircraft registered as "JA8904," left Haneda at 3:36 PM.
Mid-air incident
JA8904's TCAS sounded 20 minutes after its departure [3] as the jet climbed to 39,000 feet. The DC-10, JA8546, cruised at 37,000 feet.[4]
The mid-air incident occurred as flight attendants began to serve drinks. [5]
The two planes were on a collision course and the pilots of both planes had received conflicting instructions from their TCAS and the flight controller at the Tokyo Air Traffic Control Center in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Flight 907, headed by 40-year old pilot Makoto Watanabe, followed an order to descend issued by the flight controller while Flight 958, headed by pilot Tatsuyuki Akazawa, descended as instructed by the TCAS meaning that both planes remained on a collision course. A trainee for the aerospace sector intended to tell Flight 958 to descend, but he instead told Flight 907 to descend.[4] filled each others windscreens.[6]
Watanabe avoided disaster when he abruptly forced the aircraft to dive based on a visual judgment, saving a total of 677 people including himself. [7] If the collision occurred, it would have been the deadliest civil aviation accident in terms of passenger lives. The aircraft missed each other by less than 100 metres.[6]
81 passengers on the 747 sustained minor injuries and 7 passengers sustained serious injuries. 2 crew members on the 747 sustained serious injuries and 10 crew members sustained minor injuries. Some unbelted passengers, flight attendants, and drink carts hit the ceiling, dislodging some ceiling tiles. [5] Most of the injuries to occupants consisted of bruising. One woman broke her leg.[8] In addition, a drink cart spilled, scalding some passengers. No passengers on the DC-10 sustained injuries. [9] Flight 907, with the 747's cabin bearing minor damage, returned to Haneda, landing at 4:45 PM.
13 students at Kadena High School, a school for children with parents stationed at Kadena Air Base in Kadena, Chatan, and Okinawa in Okinawa Prefecture, had boarded Flight 907 after returning from a school-sanctioned ROTC competition. [10] Two students from Michigan, United States, 15-year old Meggan Wesche and 14-year old Allison Ambrose, sustained some minor injuries and became hospitalized for a short time. [5][8]
American Airlines Flight 157, traveling from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport near Dallas, Texas, United States to Kansai International Airport near Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, communicated with the air traffic controller and flew in close proximity to the Japan Airlines planes around the time of the near miss. [1]
Aftermath
JAL sent apology letters to the passengers on the 747; injured passengers directly received messages, and uninjured passengers received messages via the mail.[11]
No proper lessons had been taken from the near-miss.[12] Japanese authorities called for measures that would prevent similar accidents from happening, but ICAO did not further investigate the incident until after the 2002 Germany mid-air collision. The ICAO decided to fulfill Japan's request 18 months after the Japan Airlines incident.[6]
Gallery
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JA8904, a Japan Airlines Boeing 747-446D, nearly collided with a DC-10. -
A Japan Airlines Douglas DC-10-40, similar to this Japan Airlines Douglas DC-10-40D, nearly collided with JA8904.
.jpg)
References
- ^ a b c "Accident Investigation to a Near Mid-Air Collision"
- ^ "Blame pinned on air traffic controllers," Japan Times
- ^ "Kadena High students shaken by near-miss during flight over Japan," Stars and Stripes
- ^ a b "Blame pinned on air traffic controllers," The Japan Times
- ^ a b c "JAL planes almost collide," Yomiuri Shimbun
- ^ a b c "Deadly Crossroads," Mayday
- ^ "Controllers blamed for near-miss," BBC
- ^ a b "Close Call For JAL Jets," CBS News
- ^ "Signals blamed for near collision," BBC
- ^ "Japanese police pursuing possibility of negligence in planes' near collision," Associated Press
- ^ "Japan Airlines apologises to near-miss victims."
- ^ "report outline". ICAO. Retrieved 2007-01-22.
External links
- TOKYO: JANUARY 31, 2001 - FLIGHT JL907 INCIDENT
- JANUARY 31 NEAR MISS - STATUS REPORT FEBRUARY 1 2001
- JL907/JL958 NEAR MISS - CAPTAINS'REPORTS FEB 1 2001
- JL907 (Japanese) - Contains a list of passengers injured on Japan Airlines Flight 907 (Japanese)
- The German Midair – Lessons to be Learned
- Close Call For JAL Jets CBS News
- "Practical example of "Nazenaze analysis". Near miss of Japan Airlines jet.," Science Links Japan