Japan

The DC-7 was loaded with 27,484lb of cargo and was cleared to taxy to runway 01 at 21:45. After receiving IFR clearance for Wake Island, the crew reported ready for takeoff and requested the use of the paved runway overrun area. The request was approved. The aircraft failed to rotate at 121 knots (V2) and even accelerated through 128 knots without being able to rotate. The engines were stopped and maximum braking was applied, but the aircraft overran and ran through a fence. The landing gear failed and the aircraft slid to a stop 1700 feet from the runway end. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

JA8030 started a take-off run on runway 33R of Tokyo International Airport under VFR conditions at approximately 1428 hours with the pilot-in-command Manshichi Harano, examinees Yoshiomi Motouchi and Shuji Daikoku, flight engineer Terumitsu Fujimaki, and Chief Examiner of the Civil Aviation Bureau of Ministry of Transport Yukiaki Kawata, on board for the purpose of conducting a practical examination necessary for change in type rating to Convair 880-22M. About the time the aircraft took a nose-up attitude, it began to yaw left and entered into a right side-slip. At approximately 1 500 m from the runway threshold marking, the right main landing gear started to go off the ground, and while the yaw and side-slip further increased, the under-surface of No. 1 engine began to contact the runway at approximately 1 600 m from the marking. The aircraft continued to side-slip with the nose coming down and deviated from the runway at approximately 1 700 m from the marking. The aircraft moved on the lawn area, crossed taxiway C-4, then while proceeding in the direction of approximately 35O left in reference to the runway bearing, moved the heading to approximately 145O left in reference to the runway bearing, thence yawed right and continued the side-slip. Although the aircraft was in a slight nose-up attitude during this period, it went abruptly into a nose-down and almost at that time a fire started near No. 3 engine. During this period the aircraft further proceeded with the left main landing gear, nose landing gear and Nos. 3, 2, 1 and 4 engines separated in this sequence, and came to a stop at a point approximately 2 100 m from runway 33R threshold marking and approximately 200 m from the runway centre line with a heading of 90° in reference to runway 33L. The fire expanded explosively and the aircraft was damaged by fire or burnt except for the aft fuselage, empennage and a portion of the main wings. All five persons on board died. The flight was performed on behalf of Japan Air Lines.

The crew was performing a calibration flight at tachikawa AFB, Tokyo. On touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest on the runway. While all five crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft was engaged in a special flight from Kadena AFB to Yokota AFB, carrying a spare engine to repair another KC-135 grounded at Yokota Airbase. During the takeoff roll, after a course of 2,100 meters, the crew started the rotation when the airplane stalled and struck the runway surface before taking off again. Once it reached the height of 100 feet, it stalled again and crashed in a huge explosion 100 meters to the left of the extended centerline and about 150 meters past the runway end. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed as well as one motorist on the ground.

BOAC Flight 911 was a scheduled service from San Francisco (SFO) to Hong Kong (HKG) via Honolulu (HNL) and Tokyo (HND). The Boeing 707 was expected to arrive at Tokyo Airport at 16:45 on 4 March. However, due to poor meteorological conditions at Tokyo and because the precision approach radar (PAR) of the GCA was out of service, it diverted to Fukuoka (FUK) and landed there at 18:00. After staying overnight at Fukuoka, Flight 911 left for Tokyo at 11:25 and landed there at 12:43. The aircraft was prepared for the next leg to Hong Kong and a flight plan was filed for a flight in accordance with the instrument flight rules via Oshima on airway JG6 to Hong Kong at FL310. At 13:42 hours the crew contacted ATC requesting permission to start the engines and clearance for a VMC climb via Fuji-Rebel-Kushimoto. The aircraft left the ramp at 13:50. It was instructed to make "a right turn after take off", and departed Tokyo Airport at 13:58. After takeoff the aircraft flew over Gotemba City on a heading of approximately 298 deg at an altitude of approximately 4900 m and indicated airspeed of 320 to 370 knots. The aircraft, trailing white vapor, then suddenly lost altitude over the Takigahara area, and parts of the aircraft began to break away over Tsuchiyadai and Ichirimatsu. Finally over Tarobo at an altitude of approx. 2000 m, the forward fuselage broke away. The mid-aft fuselage together with the wing, making a slow flat spin to the right, crashed into a forest at the foot of Mount Fuji. The forward fuselage crashed into the forest approx. 300 m to the west of the above site and caught fire. All 124 occupants were killed.

Flight 402 was a scheduled international flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo and Vancouver. It took off from Hong Kong at 1614 hours Japan Standard Time and was routed via Taipei, Kagoshima and Ohshima. At 1908 hours it flew over "Spencer Victor" at 25 000 ft and started to descend gradually; at 1912 hours it crossed "Rice Victor" at 18 000 it and two minutes later entered the Kisarazu holding pattern at 14 000 ft where it waited for an improvement of the weather conditions at Tokyo International Airport (TIA). At 1942 hours the flight notified Tokyo air traffic control that if the weather conditions failed to improve within 15 minutes, it would divert to Taipei (alternate airport). Ten minutes later, at 1952 hours the flight was advised by Tokyo ATC that the RVR was 2 400 ft and the pilot then asked for a clearance for approach and landing. The approach clearance was given and the aircraft proceeded to descend to 3 000 ft, in the holding pattern. However, the weather conditions at TIA worsened and the aircraft did not proceed with the approach. The pilot requested a clearance to divert to Taipei at 1958 hours and commenced climbing. At 2005 hours, while heading for Tateyama en route to Taipei the flight was advised by Tokyo air traffic control that visibility at TIA had improved to 4 mile with RVR 3 000 ft. Consequently, the pilot requested a clearance to return to Kisarazu and began descending from 11 500 ft. At 2011 hours the aircraft arrived over Kisarazu at 3 000 ft and began another approach under instructions of the GCA. At this time the flight was quite normal. When the aircraft was 8 NM from touchdown at an altitude of 1 500 ft, it was advised that there was a light tailwind 150015 kt and was cleared to land on runway 33R. The rate of descent for final approach was begun about 5.3 NM from touchdown at approximately 2012:58 hours. The aircraft was on course and on the glide path with a ground speed of approximately 174 kt, gradually decreasing to approximately 140 kt at 2 NM and 114 kt after passing 1 NM. When the aircraft reached one mile from touchdown, the GCA final controller noted that the aircraft was slightly below the GCA glide path and advised "20 ft low, level off momentarily". Nevertheless, the aircraft continued its approach 20 ft below and in parallel with the GCA glide path. After the aircraft passed the P.M. (precision minimum), the aircraft requested the intensity of the lights to be reduced. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft made a sharp descent and its main landing gear wheel struck No. 14 approach light 2 800 ft from touch- down point approximately in an attitude of level flight. Following this first contact, the aircraft struck the approach lights one by one until No. 3 damaging or destroying them, and at approximately 2015 hours crashed against the sea wall with the bottom of the fore-fuselage. Then, the aircraft was thrown over near the end of runway 33R, destroyed and caught fire. All 10 crew members and 54 passengers were killed while eight others were injured.

While approaching Tokyo-Haneda Airport by night and in good weather conditions, at an altitude of about 2,000 feet, the three engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Tokyo Bay, about 12 km southeast of the airport. Lots of debris were quickly recovered as well as the tail that sank by a depth of 20 meters. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and none of the 133 occupants survived the crash, which was the worst in Aviation History to date. At the time of the accident, the crew was approaching the airport under VFR mode in good weather conditions and did not report any issues on the frequency.

The crew was performing a local training flight at Atsugi NAS with touch-and-go manoeuvres. On final approach, the right main gear failed to get down and to be locked. Despite the situation, the crew decided to continue the approach and upon landing, the airplane slid on its belly for several yards, veered off runway and came to rest against a navigation aids building. All 23 occupants evacuated safely while the airplane was written off.

While cruising along the shore on a maritime patrol flight, the airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All 11 crew members were killed.

Upon landing, the right main gear collapsed and the airplane sank on its belly and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.