Shanxi Airlines Flight 4218

Shanxi Airlines Flight 4218

Accident
Date	13:30 7 October 1988 (1988-10-07) (UTC+8)
Summary	Mechanical failure, passenger overload
Site	Near the air force airport in Linfen, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Ilyushin Il-14
Operator	Shanxi Airlines
Registration	B-4218
Flight origin	Near the air force airport in Linfen, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China
Destination	Near the air force airport in Linfen, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China
Occupants	44
Passengers	40
Crew	4
Fatalities	46
Injuries	4
Survivors	4
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities	2

Shanxi Airlines Flight 4218 was a sightseeing flight operated by Shanxi Airlines. On October 7, 1988, the flight was carried out by an Ilyushin Il-14 with the registration number B-4218. At around 13:30 that day, the plane took off from an airport in the Linfen area. About one minute later, the No. 1 engine failed. Due to uneven thrust and overloading, the aircraft crashed into a restaurant fifteen seconds later, resulting in the deaths of 44 people on board, with only 4 survivors. Two people on the ground also died. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was an Ilyushin Il-14 registered as B-4218 and was 32 years old at the time of the accident. It first flew in 1956 and was equipped with two air-cooled radial engines. ^[4]

Incident

On the day of the incident at around 13:30, Flight 4218 took off from an airport in the Linfen area. ^[3] About 90 seconds after takeoff, the aircraft's number one engine malfunctioned and stopped working, causing severe imbalance between the left and right sides of the plane. Additionally, the aircraft was above its maximum takeoff weight. Fifteen seconds after the engine failure, it crashed onto a nearby restaurant and factory near the airport. 44 people on board were killed, with only 4 survivors, and two people on the ground also died.

Investigation

The Civil Aviation Administration of China published a report explaining the crash and the cause of the accident. ^[2] They had concluded that the Il-14 transport aircraft had a maximum passenger capacity of 14, while Shanxi Airlines had arranged seating for 12. However, at the time, the plane was carrying a total of 48 people, almost three times its capacity. In addition, the engine failure was caused due to the drive shaft of the left engine becoming twisted due to fatigue which stopped the oil supply. The loss of engine power lead to a loss of thrust which meant the pilot could not recover and stop sinking. The CAAC concluded that the engine failure was the main cause of the accident. A propeller malfunction caused the aircraft to tilt, which was also a major factor in the engine failure.

The CAAC suggested that Shanxi Airlines "firmly establish the mindset of 'safety first'", and should ensure that safety is the top priority of the airline. The authority also said that Shanxi Airlines must enforce its own regulations in accordance with the CAAC and State Council, especially those in relation to aircraft safety and maintenance. Strict medical examinations for aircrew were also mentioned, with those who failed not being allowed to operate aircraft. The report concluded by saying that Shanxi Airlines could only continue operations after passing acceptance inspections. ^[2]

References

1. "夺命15秒，飞机超载空中停车，1988年山西临汾坠机事故46人遇难" (in Chinese). Tencent QQ. Archived from the original on Aug 29, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
2. "1988年10月7日山西省地方航空公司 伊尔14发动机停车坠毁事故" (in Chinese). Civil Aviation Administration of China. Archived from the original on Oct 28, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
3. "中国民航4227天飞行安全记录"清零"" (in Chinese). Beijing Daily. Archived from the original on Mar 22, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
4. "严重超载，阎王敲门，回顾1988.10.7山西航空B-4218号机临汾空难" (in Chinese). NetEase. Archived from the original on Aug 29, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2025.