As a result of poor civil/military co-ordination, Taiwan air force personnel cleared a maintenance vehicle on to a lit runway at night, without consulting air traffic control, when a TransAsia Airbus A321 had been cleared to land, resulting in a collision, says the official investigation report.
The aircraft had approached the joint civil/military Tainan airfield to land at 22:35 on 21 March, 2003, just after the movements curfew came into effect, reports the Taiwan Aviation Safety Council (ASC), which has criticised the nation's Civil Aeronautics Administration and air force for the lack of safety management systems and of any management responsibility structures at the base.
None of the 169 passengers or six crew on the A321 was hurt, but the aircraft suffered "severe damage", says the report. The vehicle driver was badly injured.
The ASC says in its report there was "confusion of aircraft construction safety and management responsibilities between the CAA and the military".
It also says there was a "lack of oversight, supervision and self-audit mechanisms from both authorities" and a "lack of safety awareness training".
Source: Flight International