1990 People's Republic of China airliner collision
Encyclopedia
The Guangzhou Baiyun aircraft collision was the result of the hijacking
of Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301. The hijacked aircraft collided with two others on the runways of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on October 2, 1990 while attempting to land. The hijacked aircraft bumped into a China Southwest Airlines
aircraft first, inflicting only minor damage, but then collided with China Southern Airlines Flight 2812 and flipped on its back. Fatalities included 7 of 9 crew members and 75 of 93 passengers on the hijacked Flight 8301 and 46 of 110 passengers on Flight 2812.
flight using a Boeing 737-200
, was hijacked by Jiang Xiaofeng (蒋小峰, Hanyu Pinyin: Jiăng Xiăofēng) on October 2, 1990. Jiang, a 21-year old purchasing agent from Hunan
, People's Republic of China
(PRC), was seeking political asylum in Taiwan. He demanded that the aircraft reroute to Taipei
, Taiwan
.
Prior to the hijacking and shortly after the aircraft took off from Xiamen
, Jiang approached the cockpit while holding flowers. The security guards let him in; a TIME
article stated that the guards likely let him through because they believed that Jiang was offering flowers to the pilots as a Moon Festival gift. The article stated that reportedly, once in the cockpit, he opened his jacket to reveal what appeared to be fifteen pounds of explosives strapped to his chest. The article added that Jiang ordered all crew members except for the pilot out of the cockpit.
The captain of the flight explained to Jiang that the aircraft did not have enough fuel to reach Taipei, and proposed that he reroute to Hong Kong
instead. Jiang refused to listen, and the negotiations went on for some time until the captain, noting that fuel
was getting too low for safety, decided that he had no choice but to land
. According to Google Maps website, flight distance: Xiamen to Guangzhou is 517km, Xiamen to Taipei is 319km, and Xiamen to Hong Kong is 631km.
, slightly injuring the pilot, who was in the cockpit at the time. Still unable to stop, the out-of-control 737 collided with China Southern Airlines Flight 2812, a Boeing 757
waiting to depart to Shanghai
, before flipping over on its back and skidding to a halt.
On the Xiamen Airlines 737, 7 of 9 crew members and 75 (including one American
, 30 Taiwan
ese, and 3 people from Hong Kong
) of 93 passengers died. On the China Southern Aircraft all 12 crew members survived and 46 of 110 passengers died. Of the passengers who died in the 757, 8 were from Taiwan. A total of 128 people died in the disaster. Jiang, the hijacker of the Xiamen Airlines aircraft, died.
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
of Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301. The hijacked aircraft collided with two others on the runways of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on October 2, 1990 while attempting to land. The hijacked aircraft bumped into a China Southwest Airlines
China Southwest Airlines
China Southwest Airlines was an airline based in the People's Republic of China. It was merged into Air China in 2002.China Southwest Airlines was headquartered at Chengdu, Sichuan Province and also maintained a hub at Chongqing. The airline was the sole carrier flying to Lhasa until 2002...
aircraft first, inflicting only minor damage, but then collided with China Southern Airlines Flight 2812 and flipped on its back. Fatalities included 7 of 9 crew members and 75 of 93 passengers on the hijacked Flight 8301 and 46 of 110 passengers on Flight 2812.
Hijacking of Flight 8301
Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301, a Xiamen AirlinesXiamen Airlines
Xiamen Airlines is the first privately owned airline in the People's Republic of China. Established on July 25, 1984 and based in Xiamen, it operates scheduled passenger flights out of Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and, to a lesser extent, Fuzhou Changle International Airport...
flight using a Boeing 737-200
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
, was hijacked by Jiang Xiaofeng (蒋小峰, Hanyu Pinyin: Jiăng Xiăofēng) on October 2, 1990. Jiang, a 21-year old purchasing agent from Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(PRC), was seeking political asylum in Taiwan. He demanded that the aircraft reroute to Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Prior to the hijacking and shortly after the aircraft took off from Xiamen
Xiamen
Xiamen , also known as Amoy , is a major city on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of and population of 3.53 million...
, Jiang approached the cockpit while holding flowers. The security guards let him in; a TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
article stated that the guards likely let him through because they believed that Jiang was offering flowers to the pilots as a Moon Festival gift. The article stated that reportedly, once in the cockpit, he opened his jacket to reveal what appeared to be fifteen pounds of explosives strapped to his chest. The article added that Jiang ordered all crew members except for the pilot out of the cockpit.
The captain of the flight explained to Jiang that the aircraft did not have enough fuel to reach Taipei, and proposed that he reroute to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
instead. Jiang refused to listen, and the negotiations went on for some time until the captain, noting that fuel
Aviation fuel
Aviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft. It is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications, such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures,...
was getting too low for safety, decided that he had no choice but to land
Forced landing
A forced landing is a landing by an aircraft made under factors outside the pilot's control, such as the failure of engines, systems, components or weather which makes continued flight impossible. For a full description of these, see article on Emergency landing...
. According to Google Maps website, flight distance: Xiamen to Guangzhou is 517km, Xiamen to Taipei is 319km, and Xiamen to Hong Kong is 631km.
Landing at Guangzhou Baiyun
Moments before landing, Jiang managed to wrestle control of the aircraft from the pilot. The 737 landed at the former Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, traveling at an excessive speed, and sideswiped a parked China Southwest Airlines Boeing 707-320BBoeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
, slightly injuring the pilot, who was in the cockpit at the time. Still unable to stop, the out-of-control 737 collided with China Southern Airlines Flight 2812, a Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
waiting to depart to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, before flipping over on its back and skidding to a halt.
On the Xiamen Airlines 737, 7 of 9 crew members and 75 (including one American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 30 Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese, and 3 people from Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
) of 93 passengers died. On the China Southern Aircraft all 12 crew members survived and 46 of 110 passengers died. Of the passengers who died in the 757, 8 were from Taiwan. A total of 128 people died in the disaster. Jiang, the hijacker of the Xiamen Airlines aircraft, died.
External links
- Special Report: Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301 - Airdisaster.comAirdisaster.comAirDisaster.com is a website devoted to accidents and incidents on commercial airliners. It includes voice recordings, accident videos, reports and articles about a number of airliner crashes. It also includes crash statistics by company, plane model and year...
- The Importance of Training in Aviation's Future