At around 6 p.m. on January 2, a JAL passenger A350 collided with a Japan Coast Guard rescue aircraft on the runway at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, and caught fire.
The crash killed five members of the Japan Coast Guard, and the JAL passenger plane was completely destroyed in the fire.
The JAL airliner was burned to ashes▲
Fortunately, a total of 379 passengers and crew members on board successfully escaped.
According to JAL, it took 18 minutes for all the people on board to flee the plane until they arrived at safety.
In this regard, international aviation experts praised JAL staff: "It is a miracle that all personnel can be evacuated in such a short period of time!"
On the afternoon of January 3, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, "This aviation accident caused the cancellation of 116 domestic flights and 4 international flights in Japan on that day, affecting the travel of more than 20,000 people." ”
As of 16 pm on the 3rd, the number of canceled flights is still increasing, and it is unknown whether it will be resumed after the 4th.
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Why did two planes collide?
Why did the Coast Guard's plane appear on the runway at that time?
Immediately after the accident, the Metropolitan Police Department of Japan announced the establishment of an investigation team to conduct a detailed investigation into whether there was a death caused by professional negligence in this major aviation accident.
According to a report by Japan's TBS on the 3rd, the captain of the seriously injured Coast Guard aircraft is being treated in the hospital and is currently conscious, and he said in an interview: "Before the accident, I was notified that the air traffic controller was allowed to take off."
On the other hand, air traffic controllers said that "before the accident, the Coast Guard aircraft was instructed to move in front of the runway, but it was not allowed to enter the runway in preparation for takeoff." For JAL passenger planes, a "permission to land" was issued.
As a result, there is a contradiction between the statements of the captain of the aircraft of the Coast Guard and the air traffic controller.
According to the Japanese news agency, on the afternoon of the 3rd, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism released the call records of the two accident planes and air traffic controllers.
►2nd 5:43:02 p.m.:
Air traffic controllers to JAL aircraft: Good evening, please enter runway 34R, there is a plane waiting for departure.
►5:43:12:
Air traffic controllers on JAL aircraft: Continue onto runway 34R.
►5:44:56:
Air traffic controllers have no problem with JAL aircraft: landing on runway 34R.
►5:45:11 a.m.:
Air traffic controllers to the Coast Guard aircraft: Good evening, first place (takeoff), please go to the C5 stop position on runway C.
►5:45:19 a.m.:
Coast Guard aircraft: We are heading towards the C5 stop position, located in the first place, thank you.
These are the last call logs of the day between air traffic controllers and the two planes.
Therefore, it can be seen from this communication record that air traffic controllers did not allow the Coast Guard aircraft to enter the runway for takeoff before the accident.
At present, the aviation accident is still under further investigation.