Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 18 March 1998 |
Summary | Spatial disorientation, loss of control and subsequent crash due to electrical failure |
Site | 9 kilometers northwest from Hsinchu Airport, Taiwan 24°54′33″N120°53′12″E / 24.90917°N 120.88667°E |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Saab 340B |
Operator | Formosa Airlines |
IATA flight No. | VY7623 |
ICAO flight No. | FOS7623 |
Call sign | Bravo 12255 |
Registration | B-12255 |
Flight origin | Hsinchu Airport, Hsinchu, Taiwan |
Destination | Kaohsiung International Airport, Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
Occupants | 13 |
Passengers | 8 |
Crew | 5 |
Fatalities | 13 |
Survivors | 0 |
Formosa Airlines Flight 7623 [a] was a scheduled domestic flight from Hsinchu to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. On 18 March 1998, the Saab 340 operating the flight crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff in a severe right bank, killing all 13 occupants on-board. [1] The investigation determined that the failure of a crucial electrical system, combined with flying in total darkness and a low cloud ceiling, led to the loss of control of the aircraft.
The aircraft involved was a Saab 340B registered as B-12255 with serial number 337. It was manufactured on 30 April 1993 and had since then accumulated 8,076 hours and 28 minutes of flight hours. [1] : 5 [2] [3] It was equipped with two General Electric CT7-9B turboprop engines, both of which had a combined total of 13,600 working hours. [1] : 6
In command was 43-year-old Captain Fei Kuo-pang, a line instructor and a former Air Force veteran who joined Formosa Airlines in 1989, and had clocked about 11,000 total flight hours, including 6,455 hours on the Saab 340. [1] : 3 Captain Fei had been on duty for more than 11 hours prior to the accident, and had flown a total of nine flights. The accident flight was supposed to be his last flight of the day. [1] : 33
The co-pilot was 28-year-old First Officer Hung Chi-ping, who had been hired by Formosa Airlines in October of the previous year and was still in line training at the time of the accident, and with only 305 total flight hours, 44 hours were on the Saab 340. [1] : 3–4 [4]
Sat in the observer's seat was 40-year-old First Officer Cheu Der-kun, also a retired Air Force pilot, he was scheduled to be on this flight to familiarize himself with the aircraft, as he had been promoted to be trained as a Saab 340 captain. He had a total of 5,588 flight hours, including 613 hours on the Saab 340. [1] : 4–5 53-year-old mechanic Wu Kai-ying was also on-board, who had been working on the Saab 340 ever since he was hired by Formosa Airlines 8 years ago. [1] : 5
During pre-flight checks, the crew noticed a failure of the right-hand main bus, [1] : 1 which resulted in the failure of more than 10 aircraft systems, including the right side of the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) in the cockpit, something which First Officer Hung pointed out. Captain Fei exclaimed that he had experienced the same failure in the same aircraft the day before. Even after bringing in the plane's mechanic, Wu Kai-ying, they couldn't fix the problem. [1] : 33–34
To determine whether the aircraft was safe to fly, the crew used the abnormal checklist to detect unsafe conditions, but they did not complete the entire checklist and were therefore unaware of the number of inoperative systems on-board. [1] : 34 Captain Fei decided to continue the flight to get the plane to an airport where it could be repaired, but his statements on the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) following taxi clearance revealed that he was uncomfortable with this decision. [1] : 34
After engine start, the right-hand anti-ice start bleed valve was in the default open position as a failsafe due to the failure of the right-hand main bus. As a result, the Internal Turbine Temperature (ITT) of engine No. 2 was 15°C higher than normal. That is, there was a difference of more than 30°C between the two engines. [1]
At 19:29 local time, the plane took off from runway 05. Two seconds later, before the captain could even verify that he had reached a positive rate, he requested, "Gear up," which could be an indicator of stress. Among the inoperative systems were the autopilot and the yaw damper, which meant that the pilot in command had to fly the aircraft manually & make active rudder inputs throughout the entire flight, except that the latter was not done. [1]
The difference in ITT had little effect on the performance of the aircraft. However, 30 seconds after takeoff, probably in an attempt to equalize the temperature difference between the two engines, the crew reduced the right Power Lever Angle (PLA). The result was a torque split of more than 13%, resulting in a yaw and roll tendency to the right due to the lower torque on engine No. 2. This required unusually large aileron and rudder inputs to maintain level flight. [1]
To make matters worse, the aircraft was flying in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), and neither Captain Fei nor First Officer Hung were aware of their aircraft's attitude as it continued to roll to the right. Air Traffic Control (ATC) cleared the flight to turn left at a heading of 260° and maintain an altitude of 3,000 feet, and the First Officer acknowledged the request. At about this time, for undetermined reasons, the captain briefly levelled off at 2,000 feet instead. Investigators later indicated that this may have been due to either fatigue or spatial disorientation. [1]
ATC later called and said, "Bravo 12255, turn left heading 230," and the first officer replied. At that moment, the airplane was in a 21-degree right bank on a 312-degree heading. The first officer's EFIS failure meant that he was unaware of the airplane's behavior and, although the standby instruments were operational, he did not use them or make any comments about the airplane's unusual attitude throughout the flight. [1]
Ten seconds after First Officer Hung responded to ATC, Captain Fei exclaimed that he had a problem with the heading and asked for help with the magnetic compass. Observer Cheu replied, "Um," but neither he nor the co-pilot made any significant response, probably because they were either in a state of confusion or unable to act. The plane rolled slowly to the right at a rate of one degree per second. 13 seconds later, the captain said, "Ask for radar vector," the plane was 2.3 degrees nose down and rolling 36 degrees to the right. At that moment, he made a brief aileron input to the right, exacerbating the roll. [1]
Captain Fei made a quick exclamation, shouting, "Everything is wrong!" The aircraft was pitching down at 8.4 degrees with a bank angle of 47.5 degrees. ATC noticed the plane's deviation to the right and asked, "Bravo 12255, say heading now?" but no one answered. The situation in the cockpit was chaotic, the aircraft was pitching down even more and rolling at an angle of 71 degrees to the right, First Officer Hung responded to the captain by asking, "Sir, shall we look at this one?". The observer then spoke up and shouted, "Attitude!" Two seconds later, ATC again asked the flight to confirm their heading, at which point the overspeed warning went off at an airspeed of 245 knots. [1]
Observer Cheu yelled again, "Sir, attitude!" and Captain Fei replied, "OK." At that point, the plane disappeared from the ATC radar. The engines accelerated as the plane rapidly approached the Taiwan Strait. "Ah!" the captain screamed while the first officer tried to make a quick transmission of "Bra-" but was unable to finish his sentence. At 19:32, rolling inverted with a right bank angle of 161 degrees and a pitch of 65 degrees nose down, the Saab 340 slammed into the water, instantly shattering the airplane. A fisherman heard what sounded like a massive explosion but couldn't see anything. [1] None of the 13 people on board survived. [5] [2] [3]
The RH Main Bus failure meant that the airplane couldn't take off according to the MEL. However, the pilots ignored this. The flight taking place at night in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), pilot fatigue, and system failures probably contributed to the loss of situational awareness and spatial disorientation, which caused the aircraft to bank further and further to the right. The crew also failed to follow standard operating procedures. [2] [3]
Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 was a scheduled flight on September 25, 1978, by Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA), from Sacramento to San Diego (SAN), with a stopover at Los Angeles (LAX). The aircraft serving the flight, a Boeing 727-214, collided mid-air with a private Cessna 172 over San Diego. It was Pacific Southwest Airlines' first fatal accident, and it remains the deadliest air disaster in California history. At the time, it was the deadliest air crash to occur in the United States, and remained so until the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 in May 1979.
United Airlines Flight 232 was a regularly scheduled United Airlines flight from Stapleton International Airport in Denver to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, continuing to Philadelphia International Airport. On July 19, 1989, the DC-10 serving the flight crash-landed at Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa, after suffering a catastrophic failure of its tail-mounted engine due to an unnoticed manufacturing defect in the engine's fan disk, which resulted in the loss of all flight controls. Of the 296 passengers and crew on board, 112 died during the accident, while 184 people survived. Thirteen of the passengers were uninjured. It was the deadliest single-aircraft accident in the history of United Airlines.
Air Algérie Flight 6289 (AH6289) was an Algerian domestic passenger flight from Tamanrasset to the nation's capital of Algiers with a stopover in Ghardaïa, operated by Algerian national airline Air Algérie. On 6 March 2003, the aircraft operating the flight, a Boeing 737-2T4, crashed near the Trans-Sahara Highway shortly after taking off from Tamanrasset's Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport, killing all but one of the 103 people on board. At the time of the accident, it was the deadliest aviation disaster on Algerian soil.
The Saab 340 is a Swedish twin-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by Saab AB and Fairchild Aircraft. It is designed to seat 30-36 passengers and, as of July 2018, there were 240 operational aircraft used by 34 different operators.
Formosa Airlines was a Taiwanese regional airline operating an extensive network of domestic routes out of its bases at Taipei Songshan Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport. Its headquarters were in Taipei.
Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight that crashed into an open field in Oak Creek, Wisconsin shortly after taking off from General Mitchell International Airport on September 6, 1985. The airplane, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, was carrying 31 passengers and crew. None of them survived the crash.
American Airlines Flight 157, a Douglas DC-6, departed on November 29, 1949, from New York City bound for Mexico City with 46 passengers and crew. After one engine failed in mid-flight, a series of critical mistakes by the flight crew caused the pilot to lose control of the plane during the final approach to a routine stopover at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. The airliner slid off the runway and struck a parked airplane, a hangar, and a flight school before crashing into a business across from the airport. 26 passengers and two flight attendants died. The pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, and 15 passengers survived.
USAir Flight 5050 was a passenger flight that crashed on takeoff from LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York. As the plane took off from LaGuardia's runway 31, the plane drifted to the left. After hearing a loud bang, the pilots attempted to reject the takeoff, but were unable to stop the plane short of the end of the runway. The plane continued past the end of the runway and plunged into Bowery Bay. Two passengers were killed.
On October 14, 2004, Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701 crashed near Jefferson City, Missouri, while flying from Little Rock National Airport to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. The two pilots, the only occupants, were killed. Federal investigators determined the crash was due to the pilots' unprofessional behavior and disregard for training and procedures.
American Eagle Flight 4184, officially operating as Simmons Airlines Flight 4184, was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Chicago, Illinois, United States. On October 31, 1994, the ATR 72 performing this route flew into severe icing conditions, lost control and crashed into a field, killing all 68 people on board in the high-speed impact.
Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 (GA152/GIA152) was a scheduled domestic flight operated by Garuda Indonesia from Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, to Polonia International Airport, Medan, in Indonesia. On 26 September 1997, the aircraft flying the route crashed into mountainous woodlands near the village of Buah Nabar, Sibolangit, killing all 222 passengers and 12 crew members on board. It is the deadliest aviation disaster in Indonesia's history.
Crossair Flight 498 was a scheduled commuter flight from Zürich, Switzerland, to Dresden, Germany. On 10 January 2000, the Saab 340B operating the flight crashed two minutes after takeoff in the Swiss municipality of Niederhasli, killing all 10 passengers and crew. It was one of two fatal crashes for Crossair during its existence; the other was Crossair Flight 3597 which crashed less than two years later during approach to Zurich.
One-Two-Go Airlines Flight 269 (OG269) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Bangkok to Phuket, Thailand. On 16 September 2007, about 15:41 ICT, the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 operating the flight crashed into an embankment beside runway 27 at Phuket International Airport (HKT) bursting into flames upon impact during an attempted go-around after an aborted landing, killing 90 of the 130 people on board. It is the third deadliest aviation incident to occur in Thailand.
KLM Cityhopper Flight 433 was a Saab 340B, registered as PH-KSH, which crashed during an emergency landing on 4 April 1994 and killing 3 occupants, including the captain. Flight 433 was a routine scheduled flight from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. The accident was caused by inadequate pilot training and a faulty sensor, leading to loss of control during go-around.
Aeroflot-Nord Flight 821 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by Aeroflot-Nord in a service agreement with Aeroflot and as its subsidiary. On 14 September 2008, the aircraft operating the flight crashed on approach to Perm International Airport at 5:10 local time (UTC+06). All 82 passengers and six crew members were killed. Among the passengers who were killed was Russian Colonel General Gennady Troshev, an adviser to the President of Russia who had been the commander of the North Caucasus Military District during the Second Chechen War. A section of the Trans-Siberian Railway was damaged by the crash. Flight 821 is the deadliest accident involving a Boeing 737-500, surpassing the 1993 crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 733, and was the second-deadliest aviation accident of 2008, behind Spanair Flight 5022.
EgyptAir Flight 990 (MSR990) was a scheduled flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairo International Airport, with a stop at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City. On October 31, 1999, the Boeing 767-300ER operating the route crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles (100 km) south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, killing all 217 passengers and crew on board, making it the deadliest aviation disaster for EgyptAir, and also the second-deadliest aviation accident involving a Boeing 767 aircraft, behind Lauda Air Flight 004. Since the crash occurred in international waters, it was investigated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation's Egyptian Civil Aviation Agency (ECAA) and the American National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) under International Civil Aviation Organization rules. As the ECAA lacked the resources of the NTSB, the Egyptian government asked the American government to have the NTSB handle the investigation.
Dana Air Flight 0992 was a scheduled Nigerian domestic passenger flight from Abuja to Lagos, Nigeria. On 3 June 2012, the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft serving the route suffered a dual-engine failure during its approach to Lagos. It failed to reach its intended destination and crashed into apartment buildings, killing all 153 people on board and six on the ground. With 159 deaths, it remains the deadliest commercial airliner crash in Nigerian history since the Kano air disaster in 1973.
On May 21, 2000, a British Aerospace BAe-3101 Jetstream 3101 operated by East Coast Aviation Services crashed into mountainous terrain in Bear Creek Township, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The plane was carrying 17 professional gamblers returning home from Caesar's Palace Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, along with 2 crew members. It was chartered by Caesar's Palace. All 19 passengers and crews on board were killed on impact. This accident, alongside the accident of Aerocaribe Flight 7831 were the accidents with the most fatalities involving the Jetstream 3101 airliner.
Angara Airlines Flight 200 was a domestic scheduled flight from Ulan-Ude Airport to Nizhneangarsk Airport, Russia. On 27 June 2019, the Antonov An-24RV aircraft operating the flight suffered an engine failure on take-off. On landing at Nizhneangarsk, the aircraft departed the runway and collided with a building. The captain and flight engineer were killed. Many of the 43 passengers sustained injuries.
Transair Flight 810 was a Boeing 737-200 converted freighter aircraft, owned and operated by Rhoades Aviation under the Transair trade name, on a short cargo flight en route from Honolulu International Airport to Kahului Airport on the neighboring Hawaiian island of Maui on July 2, 2021. Immediately after an early morning takeoff, one of its two Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engines faltered, and the first officer, who was flying the aircraft, reduced power to both engines. The two pilots—the only occupants of the aircraft—began executing the Engine Failure or Shutdown checklist, but became preoccupied with talking to air traffic control (ATC) and performing other flying tasks, never reaching the section of the checklist where the failing engine was to be positively identified and shut down. The captain assumed control but misidentified the failing engine, increased power to that engine, and did not increase power to the other, properly functioning engine. Convinced that neither engine was working properly and unable to maintain altitude with one engine faltering and the other idling, the pilots ditched off the coast of Oahu about 11 minutes into the flight.