Plane that hit Beijing tower nearly collided with Hainan air jet
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Damage on the facade of Citic Tower in Beijing on June 27.
PHOTO: EPA
A Hainan Airlines jet narrowly avoided a collision with a rogue light aircraft that later crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper, according to public flight-tracking data.
Flightradar24 records show the fixed-wing plane heading into the path of the Airbus SE A330 jet, which aborted its descent minutes before it was due to land at Beijing Capital International Airport. The two aircraft came within 457m of each other last week, the data shows, as a result of the Hainan jet taking likely evasive action.
The apparent near-miss has not previously been reported.
Hainan Airlines Holding, and the Civil Aviation Administration of China did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Beijing Capital International Airport declined to comment.
The close call – combined with the security failure to intercept the light aircraft flying off-course through some of China’s most sensitive airspace – raises more questions for the aviation regulator and security officials about their actions during the June 26 incident.
A review of the flight-tracking data indicates at least two aircraft were forced to abort landings as the light plane cut across the arrival corridor into Beijing Capital, one of China’s busiest airports, where take-offs or landings occur almost every 30 seconds.
Several more flights were disrupted as air traffic controllers immediately forced aircraft to switch landing approach from the south to the north.
The small plane crashed into the 109-story Citic Tower, several kilometres from the Communist Party’s headquarters and the residences of senior leaders. The pilot, flying solo, was killed in the crash and 13 others were injured.
Beijing typically enforces strict low-altitude airspace controls, covering everything from small planes to drones, with all flights requiring official approval. China has temporarily halted light planes from flying as it investigates the crash, Bloomberg has reported.
The Hainan Airlines jet, flying from Urumqi to the capital, descended to about 990m as it lined up on final approach over Beijing’s sixth ring road. Immediately after, over a span of six minutes, it climbed sharply to 2,790m and deviated from its flight path.
It is unclear whether the Hainan Air crew were instructed to abandon the approach, or switch the direction of landing, or whether the aircraft’s collision-avoidance system triggered a warning. Standard separation for aircraft on approach is usually 305m vertically.
The rogue plane crossed behind the widebody’s path, at roughly 770m, about a minute after the A330 flew by and started gaining altitude to abort its landing.
Other aircraft that passed the same area as the two aircraft, while lining up to land, had been flying at about 915m to 990m. BLOOMBERG
