N93043 "Jupiter" (Mokusei-go) Crash at Mt. Mihara

Outline of the Accident

On April 9, 1952 (LT), Martin 202 "Jupiter" (Mokusei-go) from Tokyo to Fukuoka via Osaka crashed into Mt. Mihara on Izu Oshima. All 37 passengers and crew onboard perished.

Assumed Cause

Although the Japanese government aircraft accident investigation committee conducted a thorough investigation, it encountered some difficulty because of the rejection by the Occupation authorities of a request from the committee to provide a tape recording of instructions to the distressed aircraft from the Haneda Airport control tower. As a result, the accident investigation was closed with the aviation agency's report that the probable cause was the pilot's operational error.

JA8764 "Bandai-go" Accident at Yokotsudake Mountain

Outline of the Accident

On July 3, 1971 (LT), Toa Airways flight 63 YS-11-227 'Bandai-go' from Sapporo (Okadama) to Hakodate crashed into Yokotsudake Mountain, 15km northwest of Hakodate Airport during approach. All 68 passengers and crew onboard perished.

Assumed Cause

The cockpit crew mistook a point approximately 5 nautical miles north of the Hakodate NDB as being just over the Hakodate NDB, a navigation aid, and initiated their descent from an estimated altitude of 6,000 ft in an attempt to cross the high station at 2,500 ft by making a single circle. The outbound flight leg was extended westward and because of a strong southwesterly wind, the aircraft drifted further to the north than the crew expected, striking the mountain.

JA8012 Accident at New Delhi

Outline of the Accident

On June 14, 1972 (LT), JAL flight 471 from Tokyo to London (Tokyo-Hong Kong-Bangkok-New Delhi-Teheran-Cairo-Rome-Frankfurt-London) took-off from Bangkok. After receiving clearance for ILS approach to New Delhi Palam Airport and making a 23 mile (43km) report from DME, the aircraft crashed into the banks of Yamuna River. 86 passengers and crew onboard perished, and 3 were serious injured.

Assumed Cause

Japanese investigators claimed a false glide path signal was responsible for the descent into terrain. Indian investigators said the accident was caused by a total disregard of laid down procedures by the crew and the abandoning all instrument indications without properly ensuring sighting of the runway.

JA8040 Accident at Moscow

Outline of the Accident

On November 28, 1972 (LT), JAL flight 446 from Copenhagen via Moscow to Tokyo climbed to 100 m after takeoff from runway at Sheremetyevo Airport, lost height, hit the ground and burst into flames. 62 passengers and crew onboard perished, and 14 were seriously injured.

Assumed Cause

The supercritical angle of attack was caused by an inadvertent spoiler extension in flight, or a loss of control following a number 1 or 2 engine anomaly due to icing.

JA8054 Accident at Anchorage Airport

Outline of the Accident

On January 13, 1977 (LT), JAL flight 1045 from Moses Lake, Washington, U.S.A. via Anchorage to Tokyo crashed shortly after takeoff from runway 24 L at Anchorage International Airport. The cargo consisted of 56 live beef cattle for delivery to Japan. All three crewmembers and the two cargo handlers aboard the aircraft perished in the crash and the aircraft was destroyed.

Assumed Cause

The accident was caused by operation by the Captain who was under the influence of alcohol, and loss of speed due to ice on the aircraft. As a related cause, it is assumed the other crewmembers did not stop the Captain's flight intentions.

JA8051 Accident at Kuala Lumpur

Outline of the Accident

On September 27, 1977 (LT), JAL flight 715 from Tokyo via Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur to Singapore was descending for landing at Kuala Lumpur Airport. The aircraft continued its descent so low that it struck a hill 260 feet high, four nautical miles short of the runway. Of the total 79 passengers and crew onboard, 34 perished.

Assumed Cause

The accident was caused by the captain descending below minimum descent altitude without having the runway in sight, and continuing the descent until the aircraft struck terrain four nautical miles short of the runway threshold. A subsidiary contributory factor was insufficient monitoring of the aircraft's flight path by the captain under the adverse weather conditions with several aircraft in the holding pattern awaiting their turn for approach and, more importantly, the co-pilot's failure to challenge the captain's breach of company regulations.

JA8061 Accident at Haneda Airport

Outline of the Accident

On February 9, 1982 (LT), JAL flight 350 from Fukuoka to Tokyo-Haneda crashed into the shallow water of Tokyo Bay, short of the C runway 33R threshold during landing to Haneda Airport. Of the total 174 passengers and crew onboard, 24 perished, and 95 were seriously injured.

Assumed Cause

On final approach, the captain pushed the control column, pulled all engine power levers to forward idle and then pulled the inboard engines into reverse idle position. Probable cause of this captain's action was mental illness.