31 Years ago today: On 26 October 1989 a China Airlines Boeing 737 flew into the side of a mountain when the crew used the wrong climbout procedure from Hualien, Taiwan, all 54 occupants were killed.
Date: | Thursday 26 October 1989 |
Time: | 18:55 |
Type: | Boeing 737-209 |
Operator: | China Airlines |
Registration: | B-180 |
C/n / msn: | 23795/1319 |
First flight: | 1986-12-03 (2 years 11 months) |
Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A |
Crew: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
Passengers: | Fatalities: 47 / Occupants: 47 |
Total: | Fatalities: 54 / Occupants: 54 |
Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
Location: | 5,5 km (3.4 mls) N of Hualien Airport (HUN) ( |
Phase: | En route (ENR) |
Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
Departure airport: | Hualien Airport (HUN/RCYU), Taiwan |
Destination airport: | Taipei-Chiang Kai Shek International Airport (TPE/RCTP), Taiwan |
Flightnumber: | CI204 |
Narrative:
China Airlines Flight 204 collided with a mountain in the Chiashan mountain range at an elevation of 7000 feet, 3 minutes after takeoff.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: The crew used the climbout procedure of the wrong runway, causing the aircraft to make a left instead of right turn.