Kunming-Wujiaba | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crash of a Boeing 737-89P near Wuzhou: 132 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 2022 at 1422 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-800

Operator:

Registration:

B-1791

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kunming - Guangzhou

MSN:

41474/5433

YOM:

2015

Flight number:

MU5735

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

123

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

132

Captain / Total flying hours:

6709

Copilot / Total flying hours:

31769

Aircraft flight hours:

18239

Aircraft flight cycles:

8986

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Kunming-Wujiaba Airport at 1315LT on a schedule service (flight MU5735) to Guangzhou, carrying 123 passengers and a crew of nine. At 1420LT, while cruising at an altitude of 29,100 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent until 7,400 feet then climbed to 8,600 feet. It finally entered a steep descent and crashed almost two minutes later in a vertical attitude on hilly and wooded terrain located some 20 km southwest of Wuzhou. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 132 occupants were killed. Two days after the accident, the CVR was found while the DFDR was found on March 27.

Crash of a Boeing 737-3W0 in Kunming

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1994 at 2226 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-300

Operator:

Registration:

B-2540

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

27139

YOM:

1992

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

140

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The approach to Kunming-Wujiaba Airport runway 03 was completed in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. Following a wrong approach configuration, the crew landed at an excessive speed of 170 knots and the aircraft touched down 2,500 feet past the runway threshold. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck approach lights and the ILS antenna, lost its nose gear and came to rest. All 148 occupants were rescued, among them 15 passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who completed the approach while too high on the glide. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor crew coordination,
- The crew failed to follow the approach and landing checklist,
- The crew failed to check instruments while on approach,
- The aircraft was unstable on approach,
- Poor weather conditions,
- The runway surface was wet and the braking action was reduced,
- The approach and landing speed was excessive (50 knots above standard speed),
- The aircraft landed too far down the runway (2,500 feet past the runway threshold), reducing the landing distance,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-221 in Kunming: 13 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1942 at 2215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-2

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Kunming – Chongqing

MSN:

1567

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Kunming-Wujiaba Airport, while climbing, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It stalled and crashed in a field located two km past the runway end. Four passengers were injured while 13 other occupants were killed. According to survivors, the engine run roughly after rotation.
Crew:
William H. Schuler, pilot, †
Emil Silvan 'Scotty' Scott, copilot, †
T. Z. Woo, radio navigator. †
Passengers:
Maj Lancelot Dennys, Chief of the British Military Mission in China, †
Lt Col Frederick L. Kohler from the US Military Mission, †
Dr. Fenimore B. Lynch, Financial Director by the Central Bank of China, †
Lt Col Otto C. George from the US Military Mission, †
James Percy Russell, broker, †
D. Rocksen, †
Cecil Lowe and his daughter aged five, †
Col Harvey Edwards, employee of the President Roosevelt's mission,
P. C. Fogarty, commissioner of the State of North Burma in China.

Probable cause:

The airplane suffered an engine failure during initial climb and it is believed that it was operated above the MTOW.