1990 People's Republic of China airliner collision

Infobox Aircraft accident
name = 1990 People's Republic of China airliner collision


caption = The wreckage of the China Southern Airlines Boeing 757, which had the Civil Aviation Administration of China livery.
date = October 2, 1990
type = Runway collision
site = former Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Guangzhou, China (PRC)
total_fatalities = 128
total_survivors = 96
plane1_type = Boeing 737-247
plane1_operator = Xiamen Airlines
plane1_tailnum = airreg|B|2510|disaster
plane1_origin = Xiamen Airport
plane1_destination = former Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
plane1_passengers = 93
plane1_crew = 9
plane1_survivors = 20
plane2_type = Boeing 757-21B
plane2_operator = China Southern Airlines
plane2_tailnum = airreg|B|2812|disaster
plane2_origin = former Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
plane2_destination = Shanghai, China (PRC)
plane2_passengers = 110
plane2_crew = 12
plane2_survivors = 76
plane3_type = Boeing 707-3J6B
plane3_operator = China Southwest Airlines
plane3_tailnum = airreg|B|2402|disaster

On 2 October 1990, Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301, a Xiamen Airlines flight using a Boeing 737-247," [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19901002-3 B-2510] ." "Aviation Safety Network"] was hijacked by Jiang Xiaofeng (蒋小峰, Hanyu Pinyin: "Jiăng Xiăofēng"), a 21-year old Hunan, People's Republic of China purchasing agent seeking political asylum in the Republic of China. He demanded that the aircraft reroute to Taipei, Taiwan. " [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEED9123AF933A25753C1A966958260 Hijacking Prompts Beijing Shake-Up] ." "The New York Times"]

Prior to the hijacking and shortly after the aircraft took off from Xiamen, Jiang approached the cockpit while holding flowers. The security guards let him in; a "TIME" article stated that the guards likely let him through because they believed that Jiang was offering flowers to the pilots as a Moon Festival token. The article stated that reportedly, once in the cockpit, he opened his jacket to reveal what appeared to be fifteen pounds of explosives strapped to his chest. The article added that Jiang ordered all crew members except for the pilot out of the cockpit." [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,971398,00.html?promoid=googlep World Notes CHINA] ." "TIME".]

The captain of the flight explained to Jiang that the aircraft did not have enough fuel to reach Taipei, and proposed that he reroute to the British colony of Hong Kong instead. Jiang refused to listen, and the negotiations went on for some time until the captain, noting that fuel was getting too low for safety, decided that he had no choice but to land.

Moments before landing, Jiang managed to wrest control of the aircraft from the pilot. The plane landed at the former Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, travelling at an excessive speed, and sideswiped a parked China Southwest Airlines Boeing 707-3J6B, slightly injuring the pilot, who was on the flight deck at the time. [" [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19901002-2 B-2402] ." "Aviation Safety Network"] Still unable to stop, the out-of-control airliner collided with a China Southern Airlines Boeing 757-21B" [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19901002-4 B-2812] ." "Aviation Safety Network"] waiting to depart to Shanghai, before flipping over on its back and skidding to a halt." [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDD133EF930A35753C1A966958260 127 Killed in Jetliner Collision in China] ." "The New York Times"]

On the Xiamen Airlines 737, 7 of 9 crew members and 75 (including one American, 30 Taiwanese, and 3 Hong Kongers) of 93 passengers died. On the China Southern Aircraft all 12 crew members survived and 46 of 110 passengers died. Of the passengers who died in the 757 8 were from Taiwan. [" [http://taiwanjournal.nat.gov.tw/site/Tj/ct.asp?xItem=10223&CtNode=122 Relatives Bring Ashes Home In Sorrow, Anger] ." "Taiwan Journal".] A total of 128 people died in the disaster. Jiang, the hijacker of the Xiamen Airlines aircraft, died.

One American, a passenger of the Xiamen Airlines flight, survived the disaster. A Swede on the China Southern aircraft survived.

References

External links

* [http://www.airdisaster.com/special/special-xi8301.shtml Special Report: Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301] - Airdisaster.com
* [http://www.flightsafety.org/fsd/fsd_dec90.pdf The Importance of Training in Aviation's Future]