Survivor pilot claims permission as investigation into fatal collision intensifies

In a harrowing incident at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, an audio recording from air traffic control has shed light on the moments leading to the fatal crash between a Japan Airlines (JAL) plane and a coastguard jet. The JAL aircraft, carrying 379 people, erupted in flames after colliding with the coastguard jet on Tuesday, resulting in five tragic deaths.

The audio recording, obtained from Haneda’s control tower, captures the unsettling moments just before the collision. At 5:43 pm local time (8:43 am GMT), the JAL plane was directed to “continue its approach” to runway 34R. Subsequently, at 5:45 pm, it received clearance to land, a mere two minutes before the catastrophic collision occurred at 5:47 pm, as confirmed by local authorities.

“Clear to land 34R Japan Airlines 516,” a controller can be heard saying in the recording available at liveATC.net.

All 367 passengers and 12 crew members on the Airbus A350 managed to escape the burning wreckage. However, five passengers aboard the coastguard’s De Havilland Dash-8 lost their lives, with the captain reportedly in critical condition.

The investigation has taken a complex turn as reports suggest conflicting instructions. While the JAL plane had been permitted to land, the coastguard aircraft had allegedly been directed to stop short of the runway, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK. The Dash-8 pilot, in contrast, insists that he had received permission to take off.

Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito assured cooperation with the investigation, stating, “The transport ministry is submitting objective material and will fully cooperate with the investigation to ensure we work together to take all possible safety measures to prevent a recurrence.”

The sole survivor, pilot Captain Genki Miyamoto, 39, managed to pull himself from the wreckage before radioing for help. Investigations are ongoing to determine if professional negligence played a role in the tragic incident.

Aviation analyst Hiroyuki Kobayashi suggested the possibility of human error, stating, “Aircraft accidents very rarely occur due to a single problem, so I think that this time too there were two or three issues that led to the accident.”

As Tokyo police delve into the circumstances surrounding the crash, questions persist about the sequence of events that resulted in this devastating collision.