-
A report concludes that human error caused the deadly collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in January.
-
The pilot of the Japanese Coast Guard plane misinterpreted air traffic control instructions.
-
Limited visibility and air traffic control monitoring were additional factors in the collision.
A report released Wednesday by the Japan Transport Safety Board concluded that human error was the leading cause of a fatal collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
The incident occurred on January 2, 2024, when a Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger plane arriving from New Chitose Airport in Sapporo flew into a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft waiting on the runway.
According to the report, the Coast Guard pilot mistakenly believed he had clearance to enter the runway. The air traffic controller told the Coast Guard plane that it was ‘No. 1’, which meant it was first in line for takeoff and the intention was to stop and wait at a holding point. The pilot misinterpreted the instruction, thinking it was clearance to enter the runway for takeoff.
In the final moments before impact, the Coast Guard pilot instructed his co-pilot to go through a checklist that is typically performed after final take-off clearance has been granted. The pilot, who survived, told investigators he thought he heard “ready for takeoff” from the control tower.
The report noted that the pilot said he was in a hurry, which could have contributed to the misinterpretation. The Coast Guard plane was headed to the city of Niigata to deliver emergency supplies after recent earthquakes on Japan’s west coast, and the pilot said he was concerned his crew would be late returning home from the mission.
The report said other factors contributed to the collision: air traffic control did not realize the Coast Guard plane had entered the runway despite the runway occupancy warning, and the JAL plane did not see the other plane while it was going down. due to limited visibility. The accident happened around 5:47 p.m., after sunset.
Five of the six people on board the Coast Guard plane were killed. The pilot survived but was seriously injured.
All 379 passengers and crew on the airliner escaped just before the plane went up in flames.
Read the original article on Business Insider
