Japanese patrol plane stopped on runway for 40 seconds before collision

The Japanese patrol plane stopped for 40 seconds on the runway at Haneda airport before the collision, but no one noticed because it was too small in the middle of the crowded airport.

The audio recording of the communication between the air traffic controller and the pilot shows that two minutes before the collision at 5:47 p.m. on January 2, the air traffic controller requested the patrol plane to move to a holding position near the runway. It is likely that the pilot of the patrol plane misunderstood the air traffic controller's instructions.

Retired pilot Kobayashi Hiroyuki said that even though the Coast Guard plane was on the runway, it was difficult for the passenger plane pilot to see the smaller plane because it was not moving.

"I have a question about why the Coast Guard plane had to stop on the runway for more than 30 seconds. Its exterior lights were very small while the other lights on the runway were big and bright," Kobayashi said.

Sources said air traffic controllers at Haneda Airport in Tokyo told investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board that they were unaware the patrol plane had entered the runway after asking the pilot to hold. They did not notice the plane because they were busy coordinating other aircraft.

Audio recordings of communications between air traffic controllers and pilots do not show any warnings to the planes about the unusual situation.

Japan Airlines said on January 3 that before the collision, all three pilots on the A350 did not see the Coast Guard patrol plane, so they did not consider the option of aborting the landing.

US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said Japan had offered to help read the recordings and the country had agreed. It was not immediately clear whether the recordings would be sent to Washington for analysis or if NTSB staff would travel to Japan to assist.

According to international regulations on aircraft accident investigations, the investigation is led by the country where the accident occurred, but countries that manufactured the aircraft can also participate. French and Canadian experts are participating in this investigation.

How the Japanese plane fire happened. Video: *YouTube/Wyngx*

Some experts say the patrol plane is too small compared to the A350, making it difficult to detect at night. In addition, the design of the wing above the fuselage also obscures its interior lights when A350 pilots look down from above.

The collision caused both planes to burst into flames on the runway. All 379 passengers and crew on the Japan Airlines plane managed to escape. Five of the six people on the patrol plane died.

Coast Guard officials began clearing the plane debris from the runway at around 4 p.m. on January 4, after police completed their on-site investigation.

Huyen Le (According to NHK , AFP )

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