The Japan Airlines Airbus A350 involved in a fatal collision with a Japan Coast Guard turboprop had received permission to land, the airline confirms, as investigations get underway.
In a statement issued 3 January, JAL says the operating crew “acknowledged and repeated the landing permission from air traffic control”, before executing the approach and landing procedures on Runway 34R.
The disclosure sheds more light into the circumstances surrounding the accident, which took place on the evening of 2 January.
The A350 (JA13XJ, MSN53) was operating flight JL516 from Sapporo to Tokyo Haneda and was carrying 367 passengers and 12 crew, all of whom managed to evacuate the burning aircraft.
The Japan Coast Guard Bombardier Dash 8-300 (JA722A) had six crew members on board and was bound for Niigata 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.
JAL confirms that the A350 had been written off as a result of the fire. It adds that the aircraft “did not experience any issues or irregularities” for the period of the flight.
Media footage in the immediate aftermath of the accident shows the A350 engulfed in a considerable blaze. Other images also suggest possible radome damage and a collapsed nose-gear.
News footage the morning after the collision shows most of the A350 fuselage burned off, leaving behind a largely intact left wing and a damaged left engine cowl. It also showed what appears to be the badly burnt tail of the Dash 8 on the runway.
Japanese officials have opened investigations into the accident, and are being assisted by their counterparts from France, as well as representatives from Airbus. The incident marks the first hull loss involving the A350 since it entered service almost exactly nine years ago.
JAL took delivery of JA13XJ in November 2021. The aircraft is powered by two Rolls-Royce XWB-75s and is configured with 369 seats, of which 12 are in first class, 94 in business, and 263 in economy.
