Guangzhou - Tokyo

Aircraft bounced repeatedly during landing on Runway 34L at Narita International Airport. During the course of bouncing, its left wing was broken and separated from the fuselage attaching point and the airplane caught fire. The airplane rolled over to the left being engulfed in flames, swerved off the runway to the left and came to rest inverted in a grass area. The Pilot in Command (PIC) and the First Officer (FO) were on board the airplane, and both of them suffered fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed and the post-crash fire consumed most parts.
Guangzhou - Tokyo — crash photo

Flight / Schedule

Guangzhou - Tokyo

Registration

N526FE

MSN

48600/560

Year of Manufacture

1993

Date

March 23, 2009 at 06:49 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Tokyo-Narita Kanto

Region

Asia • Japan

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On March 23, 2009 at 06:49 AM, Guangzhou - Tokyo experienced a crash involving McDonnell Douglas MD-11, operated by Federal Express - FedEx, with the event recorded near Tokyo-Narita Kanto.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Aircraft bounced repeatedly during landing on Runway 34L at Narita International Airport. During the course of bouncing, its left wing was broken and separated from the fuselage attaching point and the airplane caught fire. The airplane rolled over to the left being engulfed in flames, swerved off the runway to the left and came to rest inverted in a grass area. The Pilot in Command (PIC) and the First Officer (FO) were on board the airplane, and both of them suffered fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed and the post-crash fire consumed most parts.

Aircraft reference details include registration N526FE, MSN 48600/560, year of manufacture 1993.

Fatalities

Total

2

Crew

2

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

Aircraft bounced repeatedly during landing on Runway 34L at Narita International Airport. During the course of bouncing, its left wing was broken and separated from the fuselage attaching point and the airplane caught fire. The airplane rolled over to the left being engulfed in flames, swerved off the runway to the left and came to rest inverted in a grass area. The Pilot in Command (PIC) and the First Officer (FO) were on board the airplane, and both of them suffered fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed and the post-crash fire consumed most parts.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

2

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 2

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Guangzhou - Tokyo

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Asia • Japan

Aircraft Details

Registration

N526FE

MSN

48600/560

Year of Manufacture

1993

Similar Plane Crashes

May 5, 1928 at 12:00 AM8 Fatalities

Nakajima Aircraft Company

Nakajima N36

The single engine departed Tokyo on its second test flight, carrying eight crew members, engineers and pilots. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all eight occupants. The first test flight has been completed the day prior to the accident.

March 14, 1931 at 12:00 AM

Private Japanese

Junkers A.50

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Shinchi, northeast of Fukushima. Occupant's fate unknown.

July 6, 1931 at 12:00 AM

Hochi Shimbun

Junkers A.50

The pilot Seiji Yoshihara was attempting a second non stop flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles on this single engine aircraft owned by Hochi Shimbun. While flying off Nemuro, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the Nemuro Bay. While the pilot was rescued seven hours later, the aircraft sank and was lost. A first attempt to cross the north Atlantic ocean from Tokyo to Los Angeles failed last 14 of May when the aircraft crashed into the sea some 40 miles off the Kurile Islands.

August 14, 1931 at 12:00 AM

Francis Charles Chichester

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

After takeoff, the single engine airplane collided with power cables and crashed in the Katsuura Bay. The pilot was seriously injured.

February 27, 1932 at 12:00 AM4 Fatalities

Japan Air Transport

Dornier Do J Wal

En route, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing and to ditch the airplane off Yawata. Upon landing, the seaplane disintegrated. Four crew members were killed and a fifth was injured.

September 15, 1932 at 12:00 AM

Asahi Shimbun

De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth

En route from Matsue to Osaka, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea few dozen metres off Tohaku, Tottori prefecture. The pilot was rescued and the aircraft sank and was lost.