Mandarin Airlines Flight 642
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China Airlines Flight 642 was a flight that flew from Bangkok International Airport in Bangkok to Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong operated by China Airlines' subsidiary Mandarin Airlines. The flight was supposed to fly onward to Taipei after the stop at Hong Kong. Due to severe weather situation at Hong Kong, the flight crew had prepared to divert the flight to fly directly to Taipei if the situation at Hong Kong was deemed unsuitable for landing. However, approaching Hong Kong and after initial weather and wind check being passed from the airport, the crew believed that it could land there and thus decided against a diversion. Before the arrival of flight 642 four flights carried out missed approaches, five planes diverted and 12 planes landed successfully.
At about 6:43 P.M. on 22 August 1999, B-150, the MD-11 was making a final approach when a severe Tropical Storm Sam was 50km NE of the airport. At an altitude of 700 feet prior to touchdown a further wind check was passed to the crew: 320deg/28 knots gusting to 36 knots. It should be noted that maximum crosswind component limit for the aircraft was 24 knots. However, the crew neglected this and continued the landing. During the final flare to land, the plane banked on its right, landed hard on its right main gear and the no.3 engine touched the runway. The right main gear separated and the right wing separated. The plane rolled upside down and skidded off the runway in flames. When it stopped, it was on its back and the rear of the plane was on fire, coming to rest on a grass area next to the runway, 1100m from the runway threshold. The right wing was found on a taxiway 90m from the nose of the plane. The fuselage of the aircraft was burned completely in the accident. However, heavy rain during the time and quick response from rescue teams in the airport put out the fire quickly.
0 of the 15 crew members and 3 of the 300 passengers died.
The final report of the accident blamed it mainly on pilot error.
See Also
External link
- Airdisaster.com video of Mandarin Airlines Flight 642 (http://www.airdisaster.com/download/ci611.shtml)
- photos of Mandarin Airlines Flight 642 (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?front=yes&maxres=500&keywords=mandarin+accident)