China Eastern Airlines Flight 5510

China Eastern Airlines Flight 5510

A China Eastern Airlines Xian Y-7 (registration B-3453), similar to the Antonov An-24 involved.
Accident
Date	August 15, 1989 (1989-08-15)
Summary	EFTO
Site	Near Shanghai Hongqiao Airport
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Antonov An-24
Operator	China Eastern Airlines
Registration	B-3437
Flight origin	Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Destination	Nanchang Xiangtang Airport
Occupants	40
Passengers	32
Crew	8
Fatalities	34
Injuries	6
Survivors	6

China Eastern Airlines Flight 5510 was a domestic flight from Shanghai to Nanchang, operated by an An-24. On 15 August 1989, an An-24 operating this flight crashed into Zhoujiabang about 240 meters away from the airport due to engine failure when taking off at Hongqiao Airport, killing 34 people. Only 6 people survived.^[1]

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft involved, manufactured in 1973, was an Antonov An-24RV registered as B-3417.^[2][3] A twin-turboprop aircraft, it was powered by two Ivchenko AI-24VT engines.^[3][4] The aircraft was operated by China Eastern Airlines, a regional subsidiary of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), China's flag carrier.^[5] The An-24 was introduced into the CAAC's fleet in 1970.^[4]

Although production of the aircraft ceased in the Soviet Union in 1978, China continued producing its variant of the aircraft, the Xi'an Y-7.^[4] At the time of the accident, the CAAC, which was undergoing a reorganization and decentralization,^[6] was in the process of retiring its fleet of Soviet aircraft, most of which were more than two decades old.^[5] A year prior to the accident, multiple An-24s were grounded, subject to inspection by Soviet engineers.^[4][7]

On board the flight were 32 passengers and 8 crew members.^[2] The pilots were in good health and were qualified to fly.^[8] The passengers included two Japanese Mitsubishi workers.^[4]

Accident

On 15 August 1989, the aircraft was operating a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai, to Nanchang Xiangtang Airport, Xiangtang, Jiangxi, as China Eastern Airlines Flight 5510.^[3][8] At the time of the accident, weather conditions were satisfactory and no rain was present.^[4][8] At 15:46 local time, the aircraft took off heading north.^[8] However, the aircraft's right engine suddenly lost power, leading to the aircraft tilting to the right;^[5][8] despite the crew's attempts to continue on with the takeoff, having mostly succeeded in correcting the aircraft's yaw, the aircraft was unable to climb further.^[2] The aircraft managed to climb to a height of 5 metres (16 ft) before touching down on its right-hand landing gear 200 m (660 ft) away from the runway threshold.^[9] Advancing rapidly, the aircraft overran the runway, struck a protective ditch and plunged into a river 50 m (160 ft) away from the airport at 15:48.^[2][5][8] The aircraft's wings and forward fuselage were completely submerged, while the rear third remained above water.^[8] Of the 40 occupants, 34 were killed, including 6 crew members and 28 passengers, consisting of 2 Japanese passengers and 26 Chinese passengers;^[8][4] all six survivors were injured.^[8]

Aftermath

Although the Chinese organisation "Xiaguang Suicide Group" claimed responsibility for the crash, on 3 September, China denied that sabotage was responsible for the crash. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, "The investigation by CAAC showed no signs of sabotage," with the CAAC blaming mechanical problems for the crash. The group claimed in a letter that it had taken action "because Japanese businessmen are invading China with the complicity of the Chinese government", following earlier threats, including a threat against Japan Air Lines in July for the same reason, threatening to kill two Japanese.^[10]

See also

• TWA Flight 800 (1964)
• Air Algerie Flight 6289

References