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First posted - March 23, 01:00 GMT

A FedEx MD-11 freighter registration number N526FE performing flight 80, from Guangzhou, China crashed at Tokyo Narita International Airport in heavy winds, and burst in to flames. The two crew on board were killed. The main runway at the international gateway airport to Tokyo has been shut down.

Image courtesy Wikipedia

Most airlines have been forced to divert incoming flights to Tokyo Haneda, Osaka, Nagoya and other airports, as the longest runway of two at Narita has been closed.

The FedEx plane landed hard, tipped onto its left wing and burst into a bright orange fireball of flames, the video of the crash from Tokyo Broadcasting System shows. I have upload the video since the TBS website does not allow resizing of the small video window. The copyright remains that of TBS.

The three engined MD-11F an improvement of the old DC10 made by McDonnell Douglas, now a part of Boeing, is the mainstay of FedEx's freighter fleet who has 58 aircraft in its fleet.


This crash is reminiscent of the July 31, 1997 crash of another FedEx MD-11F at Newark. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) faulted the pilots for the crash of FedEx Flight 14, from Anchorage, Alaska to Newark.

Airport officials are unclear how long the main runway would be closed at Narita. International Japanese carriers Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have cancelled 29 and 10 flights respectively.

Having flown frequently to Narita I can attest to the tough time pilots have in the frequently occurring crosswinds. Both runways are aligned in a roughly North South direction (156/336 degree headings on the compass), and the airport often has strong crosswinds in an easterly and westerly direction. Paucity of land prevents the authorities from building a crossing runway at the airport.

METARS (21:48 UTC):
2009/03/22 21:00 RJAA 222100Z 30013G28KT 260V330 9999 FEW020 13/M01 Q0998 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 A2948
2009/03/22 21:00 RJAA 222100Z 30013G28KT 260V330 9999 FEW020 13/M01 Q0998 NOSIG
2009/03/22 21:08 RJAA 222108Z 31025G35KT 9999 FEW020 12/M01 Q0998 RMK 1CU020 A2949
2009/03/22 21:30 RJAA 222130Z 32026G40KT 9999 FEW020 12/M02 Q0999 WS R34L NOSIG
2009/03/22 21:30 RJAA 222130Z 32026G40KT 9999 FEW020 12/M02 Q0999 WS R34L NOSIG RMK 1CU020 A2952 P/RR
2009/03/22 21:30 RJAA 222130Z 32026G40KT 9999 FEW020 12/M02 Q0999 WS R34L NOSIG

Japan's meteorological agency had issued an advisory of gales for the area around the airport.

Update 1 - 04:30 GMT

FedEx has put out a statement

A FedEx Express MD-11 was involved in an incident today en route from Guangzhou to Narita, with two crew members on board. The incident occurred upon landing. We are sad to report that there were no survivors.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of these crew members. This loss pains all of us at FedEx. Right now our focus is on doing everything we can to assist those involved at this difficult time.

We are thankful for the quick response of emergency teams on the ground and will continue to work closely with the applicable authorities as we seek to determine the cause for this tragic incident.

Update 2 - 06:00 GMT

Widespread flight disruptions are being reported at Narita airport. Read the full article.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) of Japan, is planning strategies similar to their world-wide airline counterparts in these times of global recession. Suspending operations, reducing flights and switching to smaller aircraft, essentially slashing capacity to keep passenger load factors high, in an effort to keep the business going this year.

India is one of the more badly affected countries by ANA's re-alignments. It used to operate a 38 seat all business class Boeing 737-781ER Business Jet between Mumbai and Tokyo Narita thrice a week. This will come down to twice a week. ANA also has a code share arrangement with Jet Airways and transits passengers via Singapore.

Talking about the Indian operations, Kenji Sugino, Director – Sales, Administration and Marketing, ANA said

“Despite the global slowdown, India is one of the growing markets for ANA. We are positive about this year and are expecting good load factors and sales margins. We are going to play strategically in the Indian market this year.”

“We were receiving a good 60-70 per cent of passenger load on Mumbai – Narita route. Post 26/11, ANA is receiving about 30 per cent loads on Mumbai – Narita route. Now, the loads are about 50 per cent, but due to recession, it's not logical to operate flights half empty. However, the reduction of flights on Mumbai – Narita route is temporary and will be rescheduled once the market demand goes high. We are positive about this year and assume that the market will stabilise by mid-2009.”

76 seats for a population of 1.1 billion ??? In my opinion, both Japanese and Indian carriers are just handing over business to ASEAN carriers by their lack of capacity.

ANA has also rolled out strategic plans for its worldwide operations announcing it will slash nine per cent of its international service in the next fiscal year (April 2009 to March 2010). It will withdraw the Boeing 747 service on the Tokyo - Paris and Tokyo - Frankfurt routes, and will introduce smaller aircraft on the Washington route.

ANA is looking to the first quarter of 2010 when, as launch customer, it will receive its long awaited Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Unlike rival Japan Airlines (JAL) whose traditional focus is on international operations from Tokyo Narita airport, ANA has always put Tokyo Haneda and domestic business first; and it is gearing up to take full advantage of the huge business opportunity expected by the massive expansion of Haneda and Narita airports in 2010 – described by ANA President and Chief Executive, Mineo Yamamoto, as the ‘Big Bang’ for Japanese aviation, coupled with deliveries of the Dreamliner.

For now, financially, ANA expects a group net loss of JPY nine billion ($ 100.4 million), instead of a previously projected profit of JPY 17 billion. ANA also slashed its group operating profit forecast from JPY 55 billion to JPY eight billion.

Tomohiro Hidema, Executive VP of Finance, ANA stated in a media release

“Given the likelihood of the situation worsening in the foreseeable future, we are faced with an operating environment vastly different from the recent past, one that offers challenges of a much harsher nature.”

The Japanese airline industry have already asked their government for financial aid.

Read the ANA press releases detailing their business plans and their financial results.

The One World alliance is celebrating it's tenth anniversary, and its member airlines have unveiled a special livery on their fleets. Hope you will enjoy the images. Click on the images to see the high resolution versions.

American Airlines Boeing 777

British Airways Boeing 747

Japan Airlines Boeing 777

Finnair Airbus A340

Royal Jordanian Airlines Airbus A319

Iberia Airbus A320

LAN Chile Boeing 767

Malev Boeing 737
Cathay Pacific Airbus A340
QANTAS Boeing 747

Oneworld has also announced 10% reduction in airfares, a new Circle Atlantic fare, and a free business class tickets contest.

AVHerald reports a passenger on board Japan Airlines flight was severely burnt by hot tea which was spilt over her.

JL950 from Seoul, South Korea to Tokyo Narita, Japan, with 330 people on board, was about 30 minutes into the flight and meal service had just started, when one of the trolleys rolled away, struck a seat and poured the whole pot of hot tea over the right arm of a 23 year old female passenger. The crew decided to continue to Narita, where the Korean speaking passenger was admitted to hospital with reportedly severe burns.

The Japanese Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation in cooperation with Authorities in South Korea.

This has to be one the more unusual accidents I have heard about. I sure feel sorry for the young lady, and hope JAL compensates her apart from the major plastic surgery she will surely need.

Share your "unusual accidents" information via a comment.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has been awarded by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies a Good Design Award 2008, under the Tabletop category, for the elegant aesthetics and ergonomic design of the chopsticks used in JAL First Class.

Satoshi Nakagawa, Kaori Takehashi, Ikumi Kaneko, and Hironi Kobayashi of Tripod Design Co., Ltd. are the designers. Omedetou gozaimasu to the team at Tripod, and JAL.

Made of cedar wood, the smooth surfaced chopsticks have slightly been narrowed towards their upper ends to make them easier and more comfortable to grip especially for elderly passengers, and infrequent users of chopsticks.

From an environmental perspective, as with all chopsticks used on-board JAL, the award-wining chopsticks have been made with wood obtained in Japan from forest-thinning to supports forest conservation efforts.