Crash of a Boeing 737-2Q3 in Ishigaki

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1982 at 1349 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA8444
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Naha - Ishigaki
MSN:
21477
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
NU611
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
133
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7714
Captain / Total hours on type:
1666.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4588
Copilot / Total hours on type:
878
Aircraft flight hours:
5056
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Naha Airport at 1309LT on a schedule service (NU611) to Ishigaki Island, carrying 133 passengers and a crew of five. Following an uneventful flight at an altitude of 24,000 feet, the crew was cleared to descend to 8,000 then 3,000 feet on approach. Runway 22 was in use at Ishigaki Airport with wind from 300° at 12 knots and an OAT of 32° C. Landing was completed with crosswinds at a speed of 6 knots above Vref. The aircraft bounced and landed a second time. After touchdown, as the spoilers and reversers seems to be inoperative, the crew decided to shut down both engines, making it impossible to use the anti-skid system. The inner tires on both main gears burst almost simultaneously while at a distance of 125 meters from the runway end. The aircraft skidded to the left, overran and came to rest 145 meters further. All 138 occupants evacuated quickly, among them 49 were injured. Twelve minutes later, one of the engine exploded and caught fire. The airplane was partially destroyed by fire.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-61 off Tokyo: 24 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1982 at 0844 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA8061
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fukuoka - Tokyo
MSN:
45889/291
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
JL350
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
166
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Aircraft flight hours:
36955
Circumstances:
JAL Flight 350 took off from Fukuoka (FUK) runway 16 at 07:34 for a regular flight to Tokyo-Haneda (HND). The aircraft climbed to the cruising altitude of FL290. At 08:22 the crew started their descend to FL160. After reaching that altitude, they were cleared to descend down to 3000 feet. The aircraft was cleared for a runway 33R ILS approach and 5° of flaps were selected at 08:35, followed by 25 degrees of flaps one minute later. The landing gear was lowered at 08:39 and 50 degrees of flaps were selected two minutes after that. At 08:42 the aircraft descended through 1000 feet at an airspeed of 135 knots with wind from a direction of 360deg at 20 knots. The co-pilot called out "500 feet" at 08:43:25 but the captain did not make the "stabilized" call-out as specified by JAL operational regulations. The airspeed decreased to 133 knots as the aircraft descended through 300 feet at 08:43:50 and the co-pilot warned the captain that the aircraft was approaching the decision height. At 08:43:56 the radio altimeter warning sounded, followed by the flight engineer calling out "200 feet", which was the decision height, three seconds later . At 08:44:01 the aircraft descended through 164 feet at 130 KIAS. At that moment the captain cancelled autopilot, pushed his controls forward and retarded the throttles to idle. The co-pilot tried to regain control but the aircraft crashed into the shallow water of Tokyo Bay, 510 m short of the runway 33R threshold. The nose and the right hand wing separated from the fuselage. The captain had recently suffered a psychosomatic disorder; preliminary reports suggested that the captain experienced some form of a mental aberration. He had been off duty from November 1980 to November 1981 for these reasons.
Probable cause:
Collision with approach lights during an unstabilized approach. Poor crew coordination and wrong approach configuration on part of the captain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 707-331C in Tokyo

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1981 at 0019 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OD-AGT
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tokyo - Bangkok
MSN:
19213/613
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
MV332
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5000
Captain / Total hours on type:
270.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2461
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2262
Aircraft flight hours:
37873
Aircraft flight cycles:
8346
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Tokyo-Narita Airport while on a cargo flight to Bangkok, the crew reported technical problems with the engine n°3 after the n°6 carbon seal was worn, causing a loss of lubrication. The crew was cleared to return for an emergency landing but weather conditions were marginal and the visibility was limited. Following an approach to runway 16, the airplane was too high and passed over the threshold at a height of 500 feet. The crew continued the descent and the aircraft landed 1,700 meters past the runway threshold and bounced. After reverse thrust was applied on engine n°1, 2 and 4, the airplane veered off runway and struck a manhole, causing the nose gear to collapse. The airplane came to rest and was damaged beyond repair while all three crew members were uninjured. At the time of the accident, wind was from 210 to 350°, 11 knots gusting to 34 knots, visibility 2,200 meters, RVR 900 meters for runway 16 with heavy rain falls and fog.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- Unfavorable weather conditions,
- Wrong runway selection according to wind component and weather,
- Wrong approach configuration,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around,
- The crew misunderstood ATC instructions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Mitsubishi LR-1 in Utsunomiya: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
22011
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
811
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was engaged in a training flight, carrying six crew members. En route, the crew informed ATC about an engine failure when control was lost. The airplane entered a dive and crashed onto a house. A crew member was seriously injured while five other occupants were killed. There were no casualties on ground.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2B-30 Marquise in Kagoshima

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
JA8753
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Schedule:
Amami - Kagoshima
MSN:
504
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a training flight from Amami-Ōshima Island and Kagoshima. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 685 in Tokyo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1980
Registration:
JA5231
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
685-12056
YOM:
1973
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff for unknown reasons, killing both occupants.

Crash of a Shin Meiwa PS-1 near Takaoka: 13 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5812
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
1012
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area located northwest of Takaoka. All 13 crew members were killed.

Crash of a Shin Meiwa PS-1 off Cape Ashizuri

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5811
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1011
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing off Cape Ashizuri, the seaplane lost a float and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Mitsubishi LR-1 Marquise in Obihiro

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
22002
Flight Type:
MSN:
802
YOM:
1971
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Obihiro Airport, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances on a lumberyard located few km from the airfield. The occupant's fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-53 in Tokyo

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1977 at 1522 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RP-C803
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tokyo - Manila
MSN:
45937
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
PR421
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
127
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
10750
Captain / Total hours on type:
601.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8030
Copilot / Total hours on type:
194
Aircraft flight hours:
35862
Circumstances:
The crew was cleared to takeoff from runway 15L and started the takeoff procedure. After a course of about 1,000 meters, the airplane lifted off prematurely. It banked left, causing the left wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane landed back onto the runway then went out of control. It veered off runway to the left and while contacting soft ground, all landing gear were torn off as well as all four engines. The airplane slid for about 800 meters before coming to rest. All 140 occupants were evacuated, three of them were injured. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The left elevator geared tab drive arm assemblies and the elevator gust lock crank assembly failed during the takeoff roll, causing the aircraft to liftoff prematurely and to be uncontrollable.
Final Report: