A report from the Japan Transport Safety Board released on Wednesday determined that human error was the main cause of a fatal collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on January 2, 2024. The incident involved a Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger plane and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft, resulting in five deaths and significant damage.
The report found that the pilot of the Coast Guard plane misunderstood air traffic control (ATC) instructions. The ATC had told the pilot that the Coast Guard plane was “No. 1,” meaning it was first in line for takeoff but needed to wait at a holding point. The pilot mistakenly interpreted this as clearance to enter the runway.
As the Coast Guard plane entered the runway, the pilot began a checklist typically done after receiving takeoff clearance. He later told investigators that he thought he had heard “cleared for takeoff” from the control tower and was in a rush to complete the mission, which involved delivering emergency supplies to Niigata after recent earthquakes.
Additional contributing factors included limited visibility due to the time of day and ATC’s failure to recognize the Coast Guard plane on the runway. Meanwhile, the JAL aircraft, descending for landing, didn’t spot the Coast Guard plane in time. The collision occurred around 5:47 p.m. local time, with the JAL plane striking the Coast Guard aircraft as it landed. Five of the six people on the Coast Guard plane were killed, while the surviving pilot sustained serious injuries. All 379 people aboard the JAL flight were unharmed before the aircraft burst into flames.
The report calls for improved communication and oversight in air traffic control procedures to prevent similar accidents in the future.
