Second preliminary A350 and Dash accident report 8 in Japan

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The second report was published preliminary of the plane crash between a Airbus A350 from Japan Airlines and a Dash 8 at Tokyo Haneda Airport.

The 2 of January of 2024, flight JAL516 Japan Airlines, a Airbus A350, collided during landing on runway 34R at Haneda International Airport with a DHC-8 aircraft of the Japan Coast Guard that was on the same runway.

Preliminary A350 and Dash accident report 8 in Japan

After the impact, both aircraft caught fire. Despite the total destruction of the planes, the 379 occupants of the commercial flight managed to evacuate, while 5 of the 6 Coast Guard crew members lost their lives.

Additional Data

• Date and time: 2 of January of 2024, approximately at 17:47 JST (Japan local time).
• Location: Runway 34R (C), Haneda International Airport (HND/RJTT), Such, Japan.
• operators: Japan Airlines (JAL) and Japan Coast Guard (JCG).
• aircraft:
  • Airbus A350-941 (JAL)
    • Serial Numbers: MSN 538 (A350)
    • Registration: JA13XJ (A350)
  • De Havilland Canada DHC-8-315 Dash 8 (JCG)
    • MSN 407 (DHC-8)
    • JA722A (DHC-8)
  • Flight number: JAL516 (Commercial)
  • MA722 (Coast Guard – Earthquake relief mission)
  • Damage to Aircraft: Both aircraft were declared a total loss due to the impact and subsequent fire..
  • Victims: Coast Guard: 5 deceased, 1 seriously injured (the captain).
  • Japan Airlines: 0 deceased, 17 wounded (mild/moderate).

Summary of the flight

Flight JAL516 was a scheduled domestic service originating from New Chitose Airport (Sapporo) with 367 passengers and 12 crew on board. The landing was carried out under conditions of night but clear visibility..

Simultaneously, Coast Guard aircraft (JA722A) was preparing for an emergency mission to transport supplies to earthquake-affected areas on the Noto Peninsula. As the A350 completed its final approach, The Dash-8 entered the runway from taxiway C5 and stopped in the center line of the runway, where it remained approximately 40 seconds before impact.

Preliminary research findings

• Communication Error: The report highlights that the air traffic controller instructed the Dash-8 to taxi to the holding point "C5.", but the crew mistakenly interpreted that they had authorization to enter and take off.
• Visual Confirmation: The Airbus A350 pilots stated that they were unable to visually see the Dash-8 on the runway until moments before impact., possibly because the small plane's lights were confused with the runway lights.
• Cabin Management (CRM): It is being investigated why none of the other Coast Guard crew members questioned entering the runway without explicit “Cleared for takeoff” authorization..
• Alert Systems: Air traffic control runway incursion monitoring systems worked, but the controllers did not notice the visual alert on their screens at the critical moment.
• Successful evacuation: Report praises JAL crew discipline, who initiated the evacuation using manual megaphones due to the failure of the intercom system, managing to save all the passengers in less than 20 minutes.

The investigation remains open to analyze structural failures and improve visual and sound warning systems at airports..

View the full interim report on the A350 and Dash accident 8 (in English) here: https://jtsb.mlit.go.jp/eng-air_report/interim20241225-JA722A_JA13XJ.pdf

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