China Airlines plane forced to divert in Japan

sbst275 SG

A CHINA Airlines plane was forced to divert to another airport in central Japan late Wednesday after running low on fuel, just two days after another of its jets burst into flames, a report said.

The plane, which had taken off from Taipei with more than 160 people on board, was forced to circle the airport in Chubu after a runway was suddenly closed when a bird became stuck in the engine of another jet, Kyodo News said.

The pilot of the Airbus A330 then requested permission to land at nearby Kansai airport as the jet was running low on fuel, Kyodo said.

The plane, carrying 163 people, landed safely at Kansai, the report said.

The incident came just days after a China Airlines plane burst into a ball of fire just eight minutes after landing on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa.

All 165 passengers and crew on that plane escaped just minutes before loud explosions rocked the aircraft, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the air.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,22293043-27977,00.html

Idle_King SG

If i read this properly, then should'nt be more than just an inconvenience to the passengers of the A330.

But why close the RW after bird strike? did an engine component(s) fly out of the nacelle?

^tamago^ SG

maybe there were really a lot of bird flying in the area at that time and they are trying to take measures to scare them away?

jetabt767400 SG

Yeah, I guess its a prudent action to close the runway, although it caused a bit of inconvenience to the pax.
Plus there are also such cases where low fuel brought about by natural/animals that forced planes to land at alternative.

megatron SG

Huh? Low fuel brought about by natural/animals? I don;t get it sir. Mind explaining? Thanks.
this is an interesting thread.

Vigelic SG

ah.. isn't that just normal procedure to go to the alternative airport? not china airline's fault that they closed the runway cause some other plane got bird strike what.

they planned enough fuel to get to their airport and their alternative airport including circling so quite alright what..

i think sometimes the news can be stupid? I remember CNA reporting a news about a plane doing a go around at changi airport (cause earlier plane slow to taxi off) and scaring the hell out of passengers.. CAAS had to even issue a statement that a go-around is normal procedure that all pilots learn even at the very beginning of their training with small aircraft -_-

Pitot SG

slow news day..

tech stop.

megatron SG

Isn't that what we want? uneventful?
It's very easy and " exciting" for pple outside aviation to hawk for stories about crash, fire, etc..etc.but let me tell you..try changing sides and see how it feels like.
It is not funny nor exciting when pple 's lives are at a stake.
just to share my 2 cents.

megatron SG

yes sir. u are absolutely right.!
They can be stupid, dumb and stubborn altogether.Hollywood no doubt.
Once, we were doing touch n go training, Miss Approach Procedures, course reversal n all that, late we learnt that some " news" team chionged to cover the event because some misinformed n overly-hyper pple reported airplane got problems n abort take off with screaming passengers inside!"..

as if they can hear passengers screaming and of course inside lar..then screaming outside meh"..? sorry about the singlish.

sbst275 SG

How long was the plane circling in the sky?

Until no fuel