Chinese Jet Explodes Into Fire in Japan

AP on AOL News ^ | August 20, 2007

[rightwingintelligentsia]

NAHA, Japan (Aug. 20) - Passengers used emergency slides to evacuate a China Airlines jet just minutes before the plane burst into a fireball Monday after arriving in Okinawa from Taiwan. All 165 people aboard escaped unhurt, including the pilot, who jumped from the cockpit at the last second.

Transport Ministry official Akihiko Tamura told reporters that airport traffic controllers had received no report from the pilot indicating anything was wrong with the Boeing 737-800.

"The fire started when the left engine exploded a minute after the aircraft entered the parking spot," Tamura said.

The plane exploded into flames seconds after what the last crew member escaped from a rear door and the pilot jumped from the cockpit window, according to footage from national broadcaster NHK.

The aircraft skidded on the tarmac on its way from the runway to the gate after landing, starting a fire that prompted the emergency evacuation, according to China Airlines spokesman Sun Hung-wen.

[stm]

Fus’ toofpas’e and now airpranes!!!!

[Abathar]

I guess Chinese Fire Drills really do work.....

[CarrotAndStick]

Chinese? I read it being Taiwanese( R.o.C, but not the same China).

[in hoc signo vinces]

Who else believes this WAS NOT by accident?

[RightWhale]

The aircraft skidded on the tarmac on its way from the runway to the gate after landing

Is this related to why the engine burst into flame later?

[cardinal4]

Fuel leak?

[gridlock]

Unfortunately, all of the passengers ran around the plane once, and then ran back in the back door...

[sono]

How long before there’ll be a “Bush’s fault” angle to this story?

[domenad]

Must not be one of the 99% of Chinese products that are safe.

[Larry Lucido]

including the pilot, who jumped from the cockpit at the last second

Dang, that's like something right out of "Die Hard."

[ASA Vet]

How long before there’ll be a “Bush’s fault” angle to this story?

I'd guess by post #9.

[TexasCajun]

Faulty fuel tank wiring, recall ‘em all!

[editor-surveyor]

"The aircraft skidded on the tarmac on its way from the runway to the gate after landing"

There apparently are those among us that belive landings like this are not accidental?

"Is this related to why the engine burst into flame later?"

Fly China Airlines!

[wolfinator]

Right. China Air is a Taiwan airline.

[Oztrich Boy]

Actually an unsafe US product

[in hoc signo vinces]

I fail to see linkage between skidding on the tarmac and an engine exploding.

OTOH, unless it has something to do with too much power going to the engine...so...maybe there is linkage. It just all seems convenient with all the Chinese product recalls...now that a U.S. made aircraft type (Boeing 737) is now to be grounded by some Asian Airlines.

[gridlock]

It was a China Airlines 747 that broke the sound barrier.

[NavyCanDo]

“The aircraft skidded on the tarmac on its way from the runway to the gate after landing, starting a fire”

Overheated brakes?

[onedoug]

Boeing’s going to want to look at this.