Runway safety concerns in focus as Japan probes Tokyo plane crash
Japanese authorities are gearing up to investigate airplane collision at Tokyo's Haneda airport, shedding light on runway safety concerns just weeks after the global airline industry received fresh warnings.
The incident involved a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 and a De Havilland Dash-8 Coast Guard turboprop, resulting in the tragic killed of five out of six crew members on the smaller aircraft. Fortunately, all 379 passengers aboard the A350 managed to escape.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the Japan Safety Transport Board (JTSB) will spearhead the investigation, collaborating with agencies in France, where the airplane was manufactured, and in Britain, the site of its two Rolls-Royce engines' production.
While experts caution that it's premature to determine a singular cause, emphasizing that most accidents stem from a combination of factors, investigators are expected to delve into the air traffic controllers' directives to both planes. Additionally, a comprehensive examination of the aircraft and airport systems will be conducted.
A Japanese ministry official informed reporters that the A350 was in the process of a routine landing when it collided with the Coast Guard's Dash-8.
Priority will be given to retrieving the black box recorders containing flight data and cockpit voice recordings. Fortunately, the accident's location implies that physical evidence, radar data, witness testimonies, and potential camera footage are likely to be readily accessible, which will significantly facilitate the extensive forensic investigation ahead.
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