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Japan Airlines plane caught fire after collision with smaller aircraft
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- Author, Kelly Ng*
- Scroll, BBC News
4 hours ago
Aviation experts say leaving valuables behind was a “major factor” in the quick and successful evacuation of all 379 people on board shortly before the plane burst into flames on the runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport.
At least five people on board the smaller plane died.
The evacuation of the Japan Airlines plane surprised the world and was praised by many.
This was because the flight crew put into practice what they had learned in rigorous training and that passengers were “well behaved” and adhered to safety protocols, industry sources told the BBC.
“I don't see a single passenger on the ground with their carryon luggage in any of the videos I've seen… If people tried to take their carryon luggage with them, that would be very dangerous because that would delay the evacuation,” says Professor Ed Galea, director of the Fire Safety Engineering Group at the University of Greenwich, England.
The position of the aircraft an Airbus A350 made the evacuation process more difficult, emphasizes Galea.
“This accident occurred under anything but ideal conditions. The plane was pointed nose down, which made it difficult to evacuate the passengers,” says the professor.
Only three inflatable slides could be used to evacuate the passengers, but they did not deploy properly due to the way the plane landed.
The slope was very steep, which could be dangerous.
The plane's internal communications system also malfunctioned during the evacuation so the crew had to convey instructions via megaphone and loud shouting, according to Japan Airlines.
One passenger suffered injuries and 13 others requested medical attention because they felt physically unwell, the airline added.
The Japan Airlines flight departed New Chitose Airport in Sapporo at 4:00 p.m. local time (4:00 a.m. Brazil time) and landed in Haneda shortly before 6:00 p.m.
The investigation into the collision between the two aircraft is ongoing.
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Passengers and crew were able to escape before flames engulfed the aircraft
Safety training
A former Japan Airlines flight attendant told the BBC that the passengers on the commercial flight were “incredibly lucky.”
“I was relieved to find out that all the passengers were safe. But when I started thinking about the emergency evacuation, I suddenly became nervous and scared,” she said.
“Depending on how the two planes collided and how the fire spread, it could have been much worse.”
In reallife situations, it can be difficult to ensure passengers don't panic, says the former flight attendant, who wished to remain anonymous.
“But what they have achieved is more difficult than you can imagine. The fact that they made everyone escape is the result of good coordination between the crew and passengers,” she emphasizes.
Newly hired Japan Airlines crew members undergo rigorous evacuation and rescue training for up to three weeks before being allowed to fly on commercial flights, according to the former flight attendant.
This training is repeated every year.
“We complete a written test, review of case studies and practical training in various scenarios, such as when the aircraft has to land on water or when there is a fire on board. All employees take part in this training,” says the former Pilot employee, who left the company 10 years ago.
A pilot from a Southeast Asian airline, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said he believed the crew's rigorous training contributed to the quick evacuation.
“I have to say it was incredible. I think what happened in this case is that the training had an effect. “In a situation like that, you don’t have time to think, so you just do what you were trained to do,” he says.
In order for a passenger aircraft to be internationally certified, manufacturers must demonstrate that everyone on board is able to exit the aircraft within 90 seconds.
Evacuation tests sometimes involve real passengers, the pilot adds.
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Passengers wear face masks as smoke fills the Japan Airlines plane
He recalls that aviation safety regulations were significantly tightened years ago following accidents.
One of these was the collision of two Boeing 747s at Los Rodeos Airport in Spain in 1977, which killed 583 people and remains the deadliest in aviation history.
The accident prompted a review of crew procedures and radio communications the collision was caused by a communication error between the flight crew and air traffic controllers.
Japan Airlines itself experienced tragedy in August 1985 when Flight 123, en route to Osaka, crashed into a mountain shortly after takeoff from Haneda Airport.
A subsequent investigation found that faulty repairs by aircraft manufacturer Boeing had led to the crash. Only four of the 524 people on board survived the accident.
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People sit amid smoke on the Japan Airlines A350 plane
In 2006, Japan Airlines opened a museum facility near Haneda displaying debris from the incident to increase employee safety awareness.
“Given the pain and grief of grieving families and public distrust of aviation safety.” [após o acidente de 1985]“We promised that we would never allow such a tragic accident to occur again,” Japan Airlines wrote in the museum’s presentation.
“All employees are reminded that lives and valuable property are entrusted to us.”