Image source: Wikipedia
Tokyo: New information regarding the tragic crash between a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft that occurred on January 2, 2024, at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport have been revealed in a recent report issued by government authorities. Voice recordings from the cockpit show that the Coast Guard pilots mistook their ability to access an active runway in the final moments before the accident, indicating serious misunderstandings between the cockpit crew and air traffic controllers.
Incident Overview
A Japan Airlines flight from New Chitose Airport was landing at Haneda Airport, simultaneously, a Japan Coast Guard aircraft, en route to deliver earthquake relief supplies, entered the same runway without clearance. The collision resulted in a catastrophic fire. Remarkably, all 367 passengers and 12 crew members aboard the Japan Airlines flight survived, though 17 sustained injuries. Five of the six crew members on the Coast Guard plane lost their lives; the captain survived with serious injuries.
Findings from the Japan Transport Safety Board Report
The report highlights several human errors contributing to the accident:
Misinterpretation of Instructions: The captain of the Coast Guard aircraft misinterpreted air traffic control instructions, assuming he had permission to enter the runway. This error in judgment resulted in the unlawful runway invasion.
Air Traffic Control Oversight: Air traffic controllers, occupied with other tasks, failed to notice the Coast Guard plane’s unauthorized entry onto the runway. A warning alert went unnoticed for over a minute, preventing timely corrective action.
Visibility Challenges: The Japan Airlines flight crew did not detect the Coast Guard aircraft on the runway during landing. Investigators suggest that overlapping runway and aircraft lighting may have impaired visibility, contributing to the collision.
Image source: Wikipedia
The Board continues to analyze the incident, focusing on:
Air Traffic Control Workload: Assessing whether the controller’s management of multiple aircraft contributed to the oversight.
Communication Protocols: Evaluating the clarity of instructions between air traffic control and both flight crews.
Training and Procedures: Reviewing the adequacy of training for handling complex traffic scenarios and emergency responses.
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