A Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 was destroyed after colliding with a Japan Coast Guard De Havilland Dash 8 while landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, leaving five dead.
The accident took place around 17:47 local time. Relevant agencies are working “to quickly ascertain the damage situation and to strive to provide appropriate information to the public”, according to the office of Japan’s prime minister.
The A350 (JA13XJ) was operating flight JL516 from Sapporo’s Chitose airport to Tokyo, and was carrying 367 passengers and 12 crew members, says JAL in a statement. All passengers were evacuated from the aircraft, with 11 requiring medical attention.
The Japan Coast Guard aircraft involved is listed as JA722A, and was reportedly bound for Niigata airport to deliver supplies to those affected by the major earthquake that struck central Japan on 1 January. There were six crew on board, of whom only one survived the accident.
Images on social media show the JAL A350 covered in flames as it landed. Subsequent images show the fuselage on fire, with the foremost and rearmost left-side slides deployed.
Subsequent media footage indicates the A350 suffered significant fire damage to the front of its fuselage. The Oneworld carrier did not provide further information on the condition of the aircraft, adding that it is working with Japanese authorities in the investigation process.
Haneda Airport did not immediately issue a statement, but Japanese media reports, citing transport ministry officials, state that the airport’s four runways have been shut.
According to Cirium fleets data, the A350 (MSN53) was delivered to JAL in November 2021, and is powered by two Rolls-Royce XWB-75s. It is equipped with 369 seats, of which 12 are in first class, 94 in business, and 263 in economy.
As for the Dash-8, it is a -300 that was delivered to the Japan Coast Guard in 2009. Fleets data suggest the aircraft – powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW123E engines – is in a maritime surveillance configuration.
