31 years ago this week, on December 29, 1991, China Airlines Flight 358 crashed shortly after taking off from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), killing all five crew members. The aircraft involved in the accident was an 11-year-old Boeing 747-2R7F/SCD freighter with the registration. B-198.
Originally built for Luxembourg cargo airline Cargolux, China Airlines acquired the aircraft in June 1985. Since its delivery to Cargolux, the aircraft had a total of 45,868 flight hours and had just undergone its A-check maintenance earlier in the month of the crash.
The No.3 engine separated from the wing shortly after takeoff
China Airlines Flight 358 was a routine cargo flight between Taipei-Chiang Kai Shek International Airport (TPE) in Taiwan and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) in the American state of Alaska.
Four minutes after taking off from Taipei, as the plane was passing through 5,200 feet during its climb, the crew reported that they were having a problem with the No.2 engine.
The plane was returning to the airport when it crashed
Taipei air traffic control (ATC) gave the plane permission to turn left and return to the airport. A minute 42 seconds later, the crew radioed Taipei ATC to say that they could not turn left, after which Taipei ATC advised them to make a right turn and return to the airport. This was the last contact between the Taipei tower and the aircraft. Following the last radio contact, the pilots lost control of the plane, and it crashed into a hillside near Wanli, Taipei, at an altitude of 700 feet. All five crew members died instantly in the crash, and there were no fatalities on the ground.
The investigation into the crash of China Airlines Flight 358
The investigation into the crash of China Airlines Flight 358 revealed that the No.3 engine and its pylon had separated from the plane and struck the No.4 engine causing it to break loose. A more detailed structural examination of the wing revealed that the parts which attach the pylon to the lower portion of the wing front had failed. Because the No.3 engine had fallen into the sea after separating from the plane, it took several months before it was recovered.
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A similar fate happened to an El Al Boeing 747
Ten months after the crash of China Airlines Flight 358, El Al Flight 1862, operating an identical Boeing 747 cargo plane, suffered the same fate. The aircraft was flying from JFK in New York to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) with a stopover at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). After being refueled and a crew change, the plane took off for Tel Aviv.
Shortly after taking off while climbing through 6,000 feet, the No.3 engine separated from the wing, striking the N0.4 engine and causing it to separate from the wing. The pilots declared a Mayday and reported they were returning to Schiphol for an emergency landing. Unfortunately, they did not make it and crashed into a heavily populated area killing 39 people on the ground.
The investigation revealed the same issues with the pylons as with the Air China 747 and forced Boeing to make modifications to every Boeing 747 that was in service.
