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Korean Air Flight 631

Coordinates: 10°17′42″N 123°58′00″E / 10.29500°N 123.96667°E / 10.29500; 123.96667
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Korean Air Flight 631
A large white twin-engine passenger jet
HL7525, the aircraft involved, Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport seen here on 28 August 2022
Accident
Date23 October 2022 (2022-10-23)
SummaryRunway overrun while landing
SiteMactan–Cebu International Airport, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines
10°17′42″N 123°58′00″E / 10.29500°N 123.96667°E / 10.29500; 123.96667
Aircraft
Aircraft typeAirbus A330-322
OperatorKorean Air
IATA flight No.KE631
ICAO flight No.KAL631
Call signKOREAN AIR 631
RegistrationHL7525
Flight originIncheon International Airport, Jung District, Incheon, South Korea
DestinationMactan–Cebu International Airport, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines
Occupants173
Passengers162
Crew11
Fatalities0
Injuries0
Survivors173

Korean Air Flight 631 (KE631/KAL631) was a scheduled passenger flight from Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea to Mactan–Cebu International Airport in Metro Cebu, Philippines. On 23 October 2022, the Airbus A330-300 operating this flight overran the runway while landing in Cebu due to hydraulic failure. Despite what reports described as a "terrifying close call," all passengers and crew members survived without injuries.[1] However, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and written off as a result of the accident, making it the 14th hull loss of an Airbus A330 worldwide.[2][3][4]

The crash is the 17th Korean Air crash since 1970 that resulted in a total write off of aircraft[failed verification] and the first since Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 crashed in Great Hallingbury, England nearly 23 years prior.[5]

Aircraft

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The aircraft involved in the accident was a 24-year-old Airbus A330-322, with manufacturer serial number 219, registered as HL7525. It first flew on 12 May 1998, and was delivered brand new to Korean Air on 26 June 1998.[5] The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4168 engines.[6]

Accident

[edit]

The flight departed Seoul at 19:20 KST (10:20 UTC) and was scheduled to land at Cebu at 22:00 PHT (14:00 UTC). At about 22:12 PHT (14:12 UTC), KE631 was on final approach to Mactan–Cebu's runway 22 when it executed a go-around. A second landing attempt at 22:26 was unsuccessful. Subsequently, the aircraft circled northeast of Cebu for approximately 30 minutes before conducting a third approach. On the third attempt, the aircraft successfully touched down at 23:08, but was unable to stop on the runway.

The aircraft continued past the end of the runway, striking an instrument landing system lighting array before stopping 300 metres (980 ft; 330 yd) beyond the runway threshold.[7] According to eyewitness accounts, "The instrument landing system lighting array laid over the wings of the aircraft once the aircraft was stopped in the marsh."[citation needed]

Weather reports indicated that the wind speed was 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) from the south-west at 220 degrees.[7] As the aircraft landed on runway 22, there was a 9-knot headwind present. Visibility was 8,000 metres (8.0 km; 5.0 mi) at the time of the accident, with thunderstorms and rain in the area; there were no reports of lightning. Cumulonimbus clouds were scattered at 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) and overcast at 9,000 metres (30,000 ft) above Cebu.[7] Other planes decided to divert due to weather prior to KE631's landing attempts, but there is no information on the time span between the other diversions and the Korean Air flight.[citation needed]

Aftermath

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As the result of the accident, flights to Cebu were forced to either return to their origin airport, divert to Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao or to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.[1][8] More than 100 flights were cancelled entirely.[9]

Korean Air published an apology on their Instagram account, stating "A thorough investigation will be performed together with the local aviation authorities and Korean authorities to determine the cause(s) of this event."[10][11][12]

Commentators noted that "there are many unanswered questions" including why the flight crew of this flight chose to attempt the landing when no other pilots deemed it safe.[13] News reports noted the similarities to previous crashes on Korean Air that were caused by pilot error and the airline's historic safety culture.[5][14][15]

The aftermath of HL7525
Closeup of HL7525's tailside as seen on Mactan Aviation Road

After another incident where an engine of another Korean Air Airbus A330 had malfunctioned after takeoff, Korean Air announced it will be grounding the entirety of its Airbus A330 fleet, pending a safety audit.[16][17][18]

Since 31 October 2022, Korean Air changed the Seoul–Cebu route flight number from KE631 to KE615. The return flight to Seoul, KE632, was also changed to KE616.[19]

For a while HL7525 remained at the end of the runway with its livery, logo and vertical stabilizer removed. After two months of constructing a road to tow out the aircraft, HL7525 was towed to the southern corner of the airfield, where the almost complete hull has since remained there.[citation needed]

Investigation

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The accident is being investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), with assistance from 40 officers from the Korean Office of Civil Aviation (KOCA) who arrived at Bohol after the accident.[20][21]

On 24 October 2022, Philippines authorities as well as Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) released a preliminary report that concluded that a hydraulic failure had caused the failure of brakes on the aircraft.[21]

On 25 October 2022, it was reported that the captain of the flight provided testimony that they suffered a hard touchdown on their second approach due to wind shear forcing them down. During the following go-around, a warning light regarding the brakes lit up. The crew therefore declared an emergency. On the third landing attempt, a warning light regarding the pressure of the brakes lit up and the pilots could not slow down the aircraft.[22]

On 23 October 2023, CAAP released the first interim statement, stating that the draft investigation report was in its final stage of preparation.[23] On 22 October 2024, CAAP released the second interim statement, stating that the draft final report had been sent to all concerned Accredited Representatives.[24]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Gomez, Jim (24 October 2022). "Korean Air plane overshoots runway, shuts Philippine airport". Associated Press. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  2. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A330-322 HL7525 Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB)". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  3. ^ Lee, Danny (23 October 2022). "Korean Air Plane Overruns Runway While Landing in Philippines". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Korean Air Plane Overshoots Philippine Runway, Crashes - Videos from The Weather Channel". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Polek, Gregory. "Korean Air A330 Suffers Major Damage During Overrun in Cebu". Aviation International News. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  6. ^ "HL7525 Korean Air Lines Airbus A330-300". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "Korean Air Flight Suffers Runway Overrun in Cebu". www.flightradar24.com. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Korean Air plane overruns Philippine runway, 173 people safe". Associated Press. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Philippine airport partially reopens despite stuck plane". WHEC-TV. Associated Press. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  10. ^ "대한항공(KoreanAir) on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Korean Air plane overshoots runway in the Philippines". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Korean Air says jet overran runway in Philippines, no injuries reported". Reuters. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  13. ^ Klint, Matthew (24 October 2022). "Why Did Korean Airlines Flight 631 Not Divert?". Live and Let's Fly. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Philippines airport closed after Korean Air plane overshoots runway". Sky News. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Avião sai da pista e tem perda total ao tentar pousar nas Filipinas" [Plane leaves runway and crashes while trying to land in the Philippines]. VEJA (in Brazilian Portuguese). 24 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  16. ^ Polek, Gregory. "Korean Air Launches Special Safety Audit of A330s". Aviation International News. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  17. ^ Schlappig, Ben (2 November 2022). "Korean Air Inspecting A330s Following Two Incidents". One Mile at a Time. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  18. ^ Lee, Danny (2 November 2022). "Korean Air to Check Airbus A330 Fleet After Runway Overshoot". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Flight Schedules from Philippines to Seoul/Incheon". Korean Air. Flight numbers KE631/KE632 will be changed to KE615/KE616 respectively from October 31th, 2022.
  20. ^ Perez, Annie (25 October 2022). "Korean Air officials arrive in PH to join aircraft-accident investigation". ABS-CBN News. p. 1. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  21. ^ a b Hradecky, Simon (24 October 2022). "Accident: Korean A333 at Cebu on Oct 23rd 2022, overran runway on landing". avherald.com. The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  22. ^ Inso, Futch Anthony (24 October 2022). "CAAP exec: Korean aircraft sent distress call for problematic touchdown before landing". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  23. ^ "Interim Statement HL7525, Airbus 330-322" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. 23 October 2023.
  24. ^ "2nd Interim Statement HL 7525" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. 22 October 2024.
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