China Northern Flight 6136
Encyclopedia
China Northern Airlines
Flight 6136 (CBF6136, CJ6136) was a flight from Beijing Capital International Airport
to Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
, a coastal city in Liaoning
province of the People's Republic of China
.
On May 7, 2002, at the end of a week-long holiday, the plane crashed into the bay near Dalian, shortly after the pilot reported "fire on board", killing all 103 passengers and 9 crew members. It was the second air disaster involving PRC aircraft in less than a month, after the Air China Flight 129
disaster on April 15.
) from Beijing. At 21:20 local time (13:20 UTC), as the plane neared Dalian, the captain reported "fire in cabin" to Dalian tower and requested an emergency landing. At 21:24 local time (13:24 UTC) the aircraft disappeared from the radar
screen and lost contact with ATC
. It was due to arrive Dalian at 21:40 local time (13:40 UTC).
Eye witnesses on a nearby fishing boat reported that "a plane with fire and smoke crashed into the sea, broken in two parts."
At 15:05 local time (07:05 UTC) on May 14, the cockpit voice recorder
was picked up by the searchers from the sea, 7 days after the disaster. The flight data recorder
was picked up the same day at 17:05 local time (09:05 UTC).
on December 8, 2002. A passenger named Zhang Pilin (张丕林) apparently set fire to the passenger cabin with gasoline
, causing the plane to lose control and crash.
Just several days after the disaster, there were reports that a passenger named Zhang Pilin had purchased seven air insurance
policies worth a total of 1,400,000 RMB
(about 170,000 USD
) prior to boarding the flight.
The investigation on the wreckage showed a quantity of gasoline near the seat of Zhang, and that most passengers including Zhang died of carbon monoxide
inhalation. The engine, cabin floor and other critical parts showed no signs of burning or explosion.
Further investigation showed that Zhang had flown from Dalian to Beijing and returned to Dalian on CJ6136 the same day. According to the video monitor record, he had spent several hours smoking cigarette
s in the waiting hall of Beijing airport. Zhang purchased two insurance policies before leaving Dalian and purchased the remaining five in Beijing. Some water bottles filled with gasoline were also found in Zhang's apartment. However, no detailed accident report has been provided, due to its being considered a "highly sensitive" topic in China.
Some rumors report Zhang was a terminally ill cancer
patient and/or he was living with a huge debt, but there has been no official confirmation of these rumors.
, 2 Japan
ese, 2 Korea
n, 1 India
n, 1 from Singapore
, 1 from Hong Kong, SAR and 1 from France
China Northern Airlines
China Northern Airlines , was an airline headquartered on the grounds of Dongta Airport, Dadong District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China....
Flight 6136 (CBF6136, CJ6136) was a flight from Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport, is the main international airport serving Beijing, China. It is located northeast of Beijing's city center in an enclave of Chaoyang District that is surrounded by rural Shunyi District. The airport is owned and operated by the Beijing Capital...
to Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport is the airport serving the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province, China. It is located in Ganjingzi District, about northwest of the city center...
, a coastal city in Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
province of the 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...
.
On May 7, 2002, at the end of a week-long holiday, the plane crashed into the bay near Dalian, shortly after the pilot reported "fire on board", killing all 103 passengers and 9 crew members. It was the second air disaster involving PRC aircraft in less than a month, after the Air China Flight 129
Air China Flight 129
Air China Flight 129 was a flight from Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing, People's Republic of China to Gimhae International Airport, Busan, South Korea. On April 15, 2002, the jet on this route crashed into a hill near Busan, killing 129 of 166 on board...
disaster on April 15.
Disaster
The MD-82 jetliner took off at 20:37 local time (12:37 UTCCoordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
) from Beijing. At 21:20 local time (13:20 UTC), as the plane neared Dalian, the captain reported "fire in cabin" to Dalian tower and requested an emergency landing. At 21:24 local time (13:24 UTC) the aircraft disappeared from the radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
screen and lost contact with ATC
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
. It was due to arrive Dalian at 21:40 local time (13:40 UTC).
Eye witnesses on a nearby fishing boat reported that "a plane with fire and smoke crashed into the sea, broken in two parts."
At 15:05 local time (07:05 UTC) on May 14, the cockpit voice recorder
Cockpit voice recorder
A cockpit voice recorder , often referred to as a "black box", is a flight recorder used to record the audio environment in the flight deck of an aircraft for the purpose of investigation of accidents and incidents...
was picked up by the searchers from the sea, 7 days after the disaster. The flight data recorder
Flight data recorder
A flight data recorder is an electronic device employed to record any instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. It is a device used to record specific aircraft performance parameters...
was picked up the same day at 17:05 local time (09:05 UTC).
Accident report
Results of the accident investigation were published by the Xinhua News AgencyXinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
on December 8, 2002. A passenger named Zhang Pilin (张丕林) apparently set fire to the passenger cabin with gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, causing the plane to lose control and crash.
Just several days after the disaster, there were reports that a passenger named Zhang Pilin had purchased seven air insurance
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, financial default of travel suppliers, and other losses incurred while traveling, either within one's own country, or internationally...
policies worth a total of 1,400,000 RMB
Renminbi
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
(about 170,000 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) prior to boarding the flight.
The investigation on the wreckage showed a quantity of gasoline near the seat of Zhang, and that most passengers including Zhang died of carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
inhalation. The engine, cabin floor and other critical parts showed no signs of burning or explosion.
Further investigation showed that Zhang had flown from Dalian to Beijing and returned to Dalian on CJ6136 the same day. According to the video monitor record, he had spent several hours smoking cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
s in the waiting hall of Beijing airport. Zhang purchased two insurance policies before leaving Dalian and purchased the remaining five in Beijing. Some water bottles filled with gasoline were also found in Zhang's apartment. However, no detailed accident report has been provided, due to its being considered a "highly sensitive" topic in China.
Some rumors report Zhang was a terminally ill cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
patient and/or he was living with a huge debt, but there has been no official confirmation of these rumors.
Aircraft
- Model: McDonnell DouglasMcDonnell DouglasMcDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
MD-82 - Registration:
- MSN/LN: 49522/1702
- Engine: Pratt & WhitneyPratt & WhitneyPratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
JT8D-217A - Year of Delivery: 1991
- Flight time: 26000 hours
Crew members
- Flight Crew
- Captain: Wang Yongxiang (王永祥 Hanyu Pinyin: Wáng Yǒngxiáng), born in 1967, 11,000 hours flight time.
- First Officer: Chen Xuming (陈旭明 Chén Xùmíng), born in 1973, 3,300 hours flight time.
- Flight Mechanic: Pan Mingqi (潘明奇 Pān Míngqí).
- Flight Attendants
Passengers
95 of the 103 on board were ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, 2 Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese, 2 Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n, 1 India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, 1 from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, 1 from Hong Kong, SAR and 1 from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
External links
- China Northern Airlines Plane Crashes - People's DailyPeople's DailyThe People's Daily is a daily newspaper in the People's Republic of China. The paper is an organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China , published worldwide with a circulation of 3 to 4 million. In addition to its main Chinese-language edition, it has editions in English,...
- Accident database record on airdisaster.com
- Accident aircraft photos from airliners.net