Aviation authorities in Japan are trying to determine what caused the runway collision between a Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 and a Coast Guard relief airplane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (RJTT) on Monday.
According to CNN, the jet and the de Havilland DHC-8 collided shortly after the jet landed around 5 p.m. local time, after dark. Video captured from the terminal shows the jet skidding down the runway on a bed of flames. According to Japan Airlines, all 367 passengers and 12 crewmembers aboard were able to escape.
Japan aviation officials stated there were six people on board the Coast Guard Dash 8, but only one, identified by Japanese media as the commander, survived the initial impact. His condition is not known as this story went to press. The Coast Guard crew was en route to western Japan to deliver earthquake relief supplies in the wake of the 7.6 temblor that killed at least 48 and destroyed communities on New Year’s Day.
The JAL A350, identified as Flight 516, had departed New Chitose Airport (RJCC) in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido and was scheduled to land at Haneda. Passengers on board the jet reported hearing and feeling it hit something on the runway and then the cabin filled with smoke.
The runway was swarmed with fire trucks as the passengers and crew were evacuated from the stricken jet.
As this story was going to press, Shigenori Hiraoka, the director general of the civil aviation bureau at the transport ministry of Japan, could not provide details about the collision or if there had been communication between the aircraft or the aircraft and the control tower prior to impact.
This is a developing story, and FLYING will continue to provide updates.
