Human error was the primary cause of the crash between an Airbus A350 and a Japanese Coastguard Bombardier Dash 8 at Tokyo’s Haneda airport according to the preliminary report by authorities.
Japan’s Transport Safety Board said that the crew of the coastguard aircraft had been focused on the mission ahead and entered the runway without permission as the Japan Airlines Airbus A350 was on final approach causing the collision.
The report also criticised air traffic controllers for failing to react to the runway occupancy alarm, which had been sounding for more than one minute. If acknowledged, this would have given enough time to instruct the A350 to go around.
As a result, the A350 collided with the Dash 8 on the runway’s threshold, resulting in the total loss of both aircraft.
Five out of the Six people on board the coastguard aircraft were killed but miraculously, all 379 people on the A350 survived and were safely evacuated from the burning aircraft.
The accident is still under formal investigation with the final report expected later in 2025.
