TransAsia Airways Flight 235
{{Short description|2015 plane crash in Taipei, Taiwan}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = TransAsia Airways Flight 235
| image = TransAsia Flight 235 crash.png
| alt =
| caption = A frame from a dashcam video showing Flight 235 clipping a taxi and the Huandong Viaduct, seconds before crashing
| occurrence_type = Accident
| date = {{start date|2015|02|04|df=y}}
| summary = Loss of control and crash following pilot misidentification of failed engine
| site = Keelung River, Taipei, Taiwan
| coordinates = {{coord|25|03|47|N|121|37|04|E|type:event_region:TW_dim:200km|display=inline,title}}
| plane1_image = TransAsia Airways ATR 72-212A B-22816.jpg
| plane1_caption = B-22816, the ATR-72 involved, photographed in January 2015
| total_fatalities = 43
| total_injuries = 17
| ground_fatalities =
| ground_injuries = 2
| aircraft_type = ATR 72-600
| aircraft_name =
| operator = TransAsia Airways
| IATA = GE235G
| ICAO = TNA235
| callsign = TRANSASIA 235
| tail_number = B-22816
| origin = Taipei Songshan Airport, Songshan, Taipei, Taiwan
| stopover =
| destination = Kinmen Airport, Kinmen
| occupants = 58
| passengers = 53
| crew = 5
| fatalities = 43
| injuries = 15
| survivors = 15
}}
TransAsia Airways Flight 235 was a domestic flight from Taipei to Kinmen, Taiwan. On {{nowrap|4 February 2015}}, the aircraft serving the flight, a 10-month-old ATR 72-600, crashed into the Keelung River around {{convert|5|km|abbr=on|mi nmi}} from Taipei Songshan Airport, where the aircraft had just departed from. On board were 58 people, 15 of whom survived with injuries.
Two minutes after takeoff, the pilots reported an engine failure. After climbing to a height of {{convert|1630|ft|m|abbr=on}}, the other engine, still operating normally, was mistakenly shut down. The aircraft lost altitude, banked sharply to the left and clipped a taxi traveling west on the Huandong Viaduct (causing injuries to two more persons), then the viaduct itself, before crashing into the river below.
Flight 235 was the second fatal accident involving a TransAsia Airways ATR aircraft within seven months; Flight 222 had crashed on {{nowrap|23 July}} 2014, also with 58 people on board. On that flight, 48 people had died.
Flight
{{Location map many
|Taiwan
|width = 220
|float =
|border =
|caption = Location of the accident and departure/destination airports
|alt = The locations of the accident and departure airports shown on a map of Taiwan.
|AlternativeMap =
|
|label1 = Kinmen Airport
|label1_size =
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|background1 =
|mark1 =
|mark1size =
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|lat1_deg = 24
|lat1_min = 25
|lat1_sec = 40
|lat1_dir = N
|lon1_deg = 118
|lon1_min = 21
|lon1_sec = 33
|lon1_dir = E
|
|label2 = Taipei Songshan Airport
|label2_size =
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|background2 =
|mark2 = Green pog.svg
|mark2size =
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|lat2_deg = 25
|lat2_min = 04
|lat2_sec = 10
|lat2_dir = N
|lon2_deg = 121
|lon2_min = 33
|lon2_sec = 06
|lon2_dir = E
|
|label3 =
|label3_size =
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|background3 =
|mark3 = Airplane Crash.svg
|mark3size = 10
|link3 =
|lat3_deg = 25
|lat3_min = 03
|lat3_sec = 48
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|lon3_min = 37
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|
}}
Flight 235 departed Taipei Songshan Airport at {{nowrap|10:52}} Taiwan time {{nowrap|(02:52 UTC)}}, for its destination of Kinmen Airport, with 53 passengers and five crew members on board.{{cite web|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2015-02-04/130131481078.shtml|script-title=zh:复兴空难已救出20名伤者 3名无生命迹象|work=sina.com.cn|access-date=4 February 2015|language=zh|trans-title=Disaster recovery have been rescued 20 persons who have been injured 3 no sign of life}} Shortly after take-off, a fault in the autofeather unit of the number-2 engine caused the automatic take-off power control system to autofeather that engine.{{Rp|146}}{{efn|The autofeather unit is supposed to cut in automatically so as to minimize the drag from a windmilling propeller in the event of a single engine failure.{{Rp|79}}}} The flight crew misdiagnosed the problem, and shut down the still-functioning number-1 engine.{{Rp|146}} The aircraft reached an altitude of {{convert|1630|ft|abbr=on}} and then began descending until it crashed.{{Rp|3}}{{cite web|title=Crash: Transasia AT72 at Taipei on Feb 4th 2015, engine flame out, rolled sharply and lost height shortly after takeoff|url=http://avherald.com/h?article=48145bb3&opt=0|website=The Aviation Herald|access-date=7 February 2015|date=7 February 2015}} The last pilot communication to air traffic control was: "Mayday, mayday, engine flameout."{{cite news |first=Austin |last=Ramzy |title=At Least 19 Killed After Plane Crashes into River in Taiwan |date=4 February 2015 |access-date=4 February 2015 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=http://nyti.ms/16fRF2b}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-31125052 |title=Taiwan TransAsia plane crashes into river |publisher=BBC News Online |date=4 February 2015|access-date=4 February 2015}} At 10:55,{{Rp|4}} the aircraft crashed into the Keelung River, on the border of Nangang District of Taipei and Xizhi District of New Taipei.
The crash was recorded by dashcams in several cars travelling west along the elevated Huandong Viaduct next to the river. The aircraft, flying level, first cleared an apartment building. Then it rolled sharply, at nearly a 90° bank angle, left wing down. As the aircraft flew low over the elevated viaduct, its left wingtip struck the front of a Volkswagen Caddy taxi travelling west on the viaduct, and the outboard section of the wing was torn off when it struck the concrete guardrail at the edge of the viaduct. The aircraft continued its roll and struck the water upside down,{{cite news|last1=Hung|first1=Faith|title=Corrected – Pilot's body found still clutching controls of crashed Taiwan plane-media|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/taiwan-airplane-idUSL4N0VG01H20150206|work=Reuters|access-date=7 February 2015|date=6 February 2015}} breaking into two main pieces.{{cite web |first1=Jenny W. |last1=Hsu |first2=Fanny |last2=Liu |first3=Aries |last3=Poon |title=Taiwan Plane Crash: TransAsia Flight Loses Control, Plunges Into River |date=4 February 2015 |access-date=13 February 2015 |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/transasia-plane-crashes-in-taiwan-1423023678}} The collision with the taxi and the viaduct was captured in footage from a dashcam in a car travelling a short distance behind the taxi, and debris from the plane's wing and pieces of the viaduct's guardrail were thrown across the road surface.{{cite web |title=Taiwan Plane Crash: Rescue and recovery after TransAsia plane crash |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKNREZ_u8E8 |website=CNN News |publisher=YouTube |access-date=6 January 2020}} Two people in the taxi suffered minor injuries.{{cite web|url=http://news.yahoo.com/taiwanese-plane-53-passengers-crashes-taipei-river-041716793.html|title=Taiwanese plane with 53 passengers crashes in Taipei river|access-date=4 February 2015|work=Yahoo! News|date=3 February 2015}}{{Cite news |title=Dashcam shows TransAsia flight crash into taxi |language=en |url=https://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/dashcam-shows-transasia-flight-crash-into-taxi-bridge-video/ |access-date=4 June 2021}}
At the time of the accident, no adverse weather phenomena were observed. At {{nowrap|11:00}}, the cloud base at Songshan was about {{convert|1500|ft|abbr=on}}, the visibility was unrestricted, and a light breeze was blowing from the east at {{convert|10|kn}}. The temperature was {{convert|16|C}}.
Aircraft
The aircraft involved in the accident was an ATR 72-600 twin-turboprop, registration B-22816, MSN 1141. It first flew on {{nowrap|28 March}} 2014, and was delivered to TransAsia Airways on {{nowrap|15 April}} 2014.{{cite web|title=ATR 42/72 – 1141 – MSN B-22816|website=Airfleets.net|url=http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-atr-1141.htm|access-date=4 February 2015}} The left Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M engine was replaced in August 2014.{{Rp|15}}
Passengers and crew
The passenger manifest was composed of 49 adults and 4 children. Thirty-one passengers were mainland Chinese; many were visitors from Xiamen on a six-day tour of Taiwan.{{cite news|last1=Chung|first1=Lawrence|title=Search for survivors after Taiwan plane crashes into river; 24 confirmed dead|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1701465/airplane-carrying-over-50-people-crashes-river-taiwan|access-date=4 February 2015|work=South China Morning Post|date=4 February 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Huang|first1=Keira Lu|last2=Chen|first2=Andrea|title=Taiwan official confirms pilot's 'mayday' call authentic as air crash death toll rises|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1702746/search-resumes-taiwan-death-toll-transasia-air-crash-rises-31|access-date=5 February 2015|work=South China Morning Post|date=5 February 2015}} The remaining 22 passengers were Taiwanese.
The flight crew consisted of two pilots, both ranked as captains; the captain was Liao Chien-tsung, 42, with a total of 4,914 flight hours (including 250 hours on the ATR 72) and the co-pilot was Liu Tze-chung, 45, with a total of 6,922 flight hours, including 5,314 hours on the ATR 72.{{cite news|last1=Tait|first1=Morgan|title=Hero pilot killed in Taiwan tragedy was Kiwi citizen |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11397934|access-date=7 February 2015 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=7 February 2015}} Also, an observer, Hung Ping-chung, 63, was seated in the cockpit jump seat, who had a total of 16,121 flight hours, 6,482 of them on the ATR 72.{{cite web|last1=Shan|first1=Shelley|last2=Hsiao|first2=Alison|title=CAA to block new TransAsia air routes|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2015/02/06/2003610925|work=Taipei Times|date=6 February 2015 |page=1}} Two flight attendants (including Huang Ching-ya) were working as cabin crew. All crew members were Taiwanese citizens; the co-pilot was a dual New Zealand–Taiwanese citizen.
| class="wikitable"
!Nationality !Passengers !Crew !Total |
| valign="top"
|Taiwan{{efn|The First officer had dual New Zealand-Taiwanese citizenship}} |22 |5 |27 |
| valign="top"
|China |31 |{{N/A}} |31 |
| valign="top"
|Total |53 |5 |58 |
Rescue and recovery
File:TransAsia Airways Flight 235.JPG
Taipei police and fire departments received dozens of calls from eyewitnesses almost immediately after the crash. The Taipei Fire Department, military, and volunteer rescue workers arrived at the crash scene within minutes,{{Rp|49}} and reached the survivors by boat around 35 minutes after the crash.{{Rp|45}} They began removing survivors from the rear section of the semisubmerged fuselage and ferried them to shore in inflatable boats. Divers were forced to cut the seat belts of dead passengers, located mostly in the front section, to remove their bodies. That work was made difficult by low visibility under water.{{Rp|48–50}}
The aircraft's flight recorders were recovered shortly after {{nowrap|16:00}} that day. After {{nowrap|20:00}}, cranes were used to lift large sections of the fuselage ashore.{{Cite news|last1 = Tsoi|first1 = Grace|last2 = Phillips|first2 = Tom|title = TransAsia plane crashes into river in Taiwan|publisher=The Telegraph|access-date = 4 February 2015| date = 4 February 2015|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/11388828/At-least-nine-dead-in-Taiwan-plane-crash.html}}{{Cite web|title = Video: Rescue crews in Taiwan work to free passengers trapped in TransAsia plane|publisher=The Telegraph|access-date = 4 February 2015|date = 4 February 2015|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/11388910/Rescue-crews-in-Taiwan-work-to-free-passengers-trapped-in-TransAsia-plane.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150204165920/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/11388910/Rescue-crews-in-Taiwan-work-to-free-passengers-trapped-in-TransAsia-plane.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 4 February 2015}}
Of the 58 people on board the flight, only 15 survived.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201502120346.aspx|title=復興空難搜救 尋獲最後一具遺體|website=www.cna.com.tw|publisher=CNA|language=zh-Hant-TW|trans-title=Renaissance air disaster search and rescue, find the last body|access-date=15 July 2019}} One of the two flight attendants, Huang Ching-ya, survived.{{cite web|last1=MacLeod|first1=Calum|title=TransAsia pilot: 'Mayday, mayday, engine flameout|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/02/05/transasia-airways-plane-crash-rescue/22911801|work=USA Today|access-date=8 February 2015}}
Press reports
Some media outlets reported anonymous claims that the pilot had complained of "engine abnormalities" and asked for an inspection of the aircraft prior to take-off, but that the request had been refused.{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Tom|title=TransAsia plane crash: Pilot complained of 'engine abnormality' before take-off|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/11391807/TransAsia-plane-crash-Pilot-complained-of-engine-abnormality-before-crash.html|access-date=12 February 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=5 February 2015}} This assertion has been denied by both TransAsia Airways and the Civil Aeronautics Administration, the former of whom has released the maintenance records for both powerplants, both propellers, and the airframe.{{cite web |first=Karlie |last=Lin |title=GE235 maintenance check refused: report |date=6 February 2015 |access-date=2 July 2015 |website=The China Post |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2015/02/06/428336/GE235-maintenance.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702185623/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2015/02/06/428336/GE235-maintenance.htm |archive-date=2 July 2015 |url-status=live }}
Reactions
= TransAsia Airways =
Following the accident, TransAsia Airways changed its website and social media branding to greyscale images, in mourning for the presumed deaths of the passengers. On {{nowrap|5 February}}, TransAsia retired the flight number GE235, changing it to GE2353.{{cite web|url=http://www.tna.com.tw/promotions/news_show.aspx?id=693|title=復興航空說明 2015-02-04 2300版|date=4 February 2015|website=tna.com.tw|trans-title=TransAsia Airways Public Statement 2015-02-04 2300 Edition|access-date=5 February 2015|archive-date=7 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207194426/http://www.tna.com.tw/promotions/news_show.aspx?id=693|url-status=dead}}
= Taiwan =
The spokesperson of the Office of the President of the Republic of China reported that President Ma Ying-jeou was very concerned about the accident and had given orders to the Executive Yuan and related authorities to provide maximum assistance with the rescue. Immediately after the accident, the president of the Executive Yuan, Mao Chi-kuo, contacted the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aeronautics Administration to instigate an investigation into the crash, and the minister of national defense to prepare the military for the rescue.{{cite web|url=http://www.ettoday.net/news/20150204/463111.htm|title=快訊／復興墜南港 馬英九指示全力搜救、全面援助|author=ETtoday 新聞雲|date=4 February 2015|publisher=ETtoday 新聞雲|language=zh|trans-title=News / Revival of South Port Ma Ying-jeou instructed full search and rescue, comprehensive assistance|access-date=4 February 2015}} The final report on the investigation carried out by Taiwan Transportation Safety Board was released on 30 June 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/english/16051/16113/16114/16531/post|title=Releases Final Report on TransAsia Airways Flight GE 235 Occurrence Investigation|publisher=Taiwan Transportation Safety Board|date=30 June 2016}}
= China =
Over half of the passengers on board the aircraft were Chinese. On {{nowrap|5 February}} 2015, Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, released a statement, ordering that accurate information on the aircraft be obtained as quickly as possible, and that "assistance [be provided] in treating the injured".{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2015-02/04/c_133970633.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205122631/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2015-02/04/c_133970633.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 February 2015|title=Xi orders assistance after TransAsia plane crash|last=Hui|first=Lu|date=4 February 2015|publisher=Xinhua|access-date=4 February 2015}} On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang instructed relevant departments to obtain accurate information from Taipei as quickly as possible.{{cite web|url=http://politics.people.com.cn/BIG5/n/2015/0204/c1024-26508792.html|author=Government of China|date=4 February 2015|publisher=Government of China|language=zh|script-title=zh:李克強就台灣復興航空班機墜河作出重要批示|trans-title=Li Keqiang made important instructions on the Taiwanese renaissance flight|access-date=4 February 2015}}
Investigation
The Taiwanese Aviation Safety Council (ASC) led the investigation into the accident.{{cite news|last1=Culpan|first1=Tim|title=Transasia Plane Crashes Near Taipei, Aviation Council Says|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-04/transasia-plane-crashes-near-taipei-aviation-council-says|access-date=4 February 2015|publisher=Bloomberg News|date=4 February 2015}} The French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) represented the country of manufacture, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada represented the country of engine manufacture. Other parties to the investigation included the Taiwanese Civil Aeronautics Administration, the operator (TransAsia), the aircraft (ATR) and engine (Pratt & Whitney Canada) manufacturers, and Transport Canada.{{Rp|v}} The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered on the evening of {{nowrap|4 February}}, and the data were analysed. According to the executive director of the ASC, Thomas Wang, the aircraft's right engine triggered an alarm just 37 seconds after takeoff.{{cite web | url =https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31162351|title=TransAsia GE235: Taiwan crash plane 'lost engine power'|publisher=BBC| date=7 February 2015| access-date =28 March 2015}} Whereas the crew reported a flameout,{{cite news | url =https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/11397143/TransAsia-planes-black-box-reveals-the-moments-before-fatal-crash.html|title=TransAsia plane's black box reveals the moments before fatal crash|work=The Daily Telegraph| date=6 February 2015| access-date =28 March 2015|last1=Davison|first1=Nicola}} according to Wang, data showed the right engine had in fact been moved to idle power. Soon the right engine failed to produce enough thrust for its rotating propeller, lapsing into auto-feathering. A restart was attempted, but the aircraft crashed 72 seconds later.
On {{nowrap|6 February}}, investigators revealed that the left engine, which does not appear to have had suffered a malfunction, had been manually shut off,{{cite news |title=Pilots in Crash May Have Shut Wrong Engine, Finding Suggests |url=http://nyti.ms/1IfvhHV |access-date=12 February 2015 |work=New York Times |date=6 February 2015}} while cautioning that the investigation was "too early to say if human error was a factor".{{cite news|title=Accident investigators say main cause of Taipei air crash was engine failure|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1704409/four-more-bodies-taiwan-plane-crash-retrieved-pilot-was-found-cockpit|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=8 February 2015|date=6 February 2015}} Investigators released the following preliminary sequence of events:{{cite web|title=TransAsia Airways Flight GE 235 Occurrence|url=http://www.asc.gov.tw/main_en/docDetail.aspx?uid=318&pid=318&docid=669|website=Aviation Safety Council|access-date=6 February 2015|date=6 February 2015|archive-date=7 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207114034/http://www.asc.gov.tw/main_en/docDetail.aspx?uid=318&pid=318&docid=669|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|date=6 February 2015|script-title=zh:復興航空GE235飛航事故調查: 進度報告|trans-title=TransAsia Airways Flight GE 235 Accident Investigation Progress Report|url=https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/1769/6ea690a6-bc92-49e9-a77a-8800d0358b9e.pdf?mediaDL=true|access-date=8 February 2015|website=Aviation Safety Council|language=zh}}{{Cite web |date=2015-07-02 |title=Flight Recorders Group |url=https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/3634/04_flight-recorders.pdf |access-date=2023-02-09 |publisher=Aviation Safety Council}}
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:center"
|+Sequence of events ! rowspan="2" |Duration (HH:MM:SS) ! colspan="2" |Time ! rowspan="2" |Event ! colspan="2" |Selected CVR items |
| UTC
!Local !Source !Content (Italics denote translation from Chinese) |
|---|
| 00:00:00.0
| scope="row" |02:41:14.6 |10:41:14.6 |Start of recording |Commentary |[GE235 recording begins] |
| 00:09:58.1
|02:51:12.7 |10:51:12.7 |Crew receives take-off clearance |Tower controller |Transasia two three five runway one zero wind one zero zero degree niner knots cleared for takeoff. |
| 00:11:19.2
|02:52:33.8 |10:52:33.8 |Tower asks the crew to contact Taipei Departure |Tower controller |Transasia two three five contact Taipei approach one one niner decimal seven good day. |
| 00:11:23.7
|02:52:38.3 |10:52:38.3 |Right engine failure alert; master warning sounds for 3s |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of master warning until 10:52:40.0] |
| 00:11:27.4
|02:52:42.0 |10:52:42.0 |Crew reduces power to the left engine | | |
| 00:11:28.4
|02:52:43.0 |10:52:43.0 |Crew mentions retracting the left engine (retracts throttle and shuts off) |Captain Liao |I will pull back engine one throttle. |
| |02:53:00.4
|10:53:00.4 |Crew discuss engine shutdown checklist |Captain Liu |Okay engine flameout check. |
| |02:53:06.4
|10:53:06.4 |Crew reduces power to the left engine again |Captain Liao |Pull back number one. |
| |02:53:07.7
|10:53:07.7 |Crew mentions that the right engine stalled |Captain Liu |Okay now number two engine flameout confirmed. |
| |02:53:09.9
|10:53:09.9 |Stall warning sounds |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:53:10.8] |
| |02:53:12.6
|10:53:12.6 |Stall warning sounds for the second time. Stick shaker activates. |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:53:18.8] [sound of stick shaker until 10:53:18.8] |
| |02:53:19.6
|10:53:19.6 |Left engine is feathered and shut down |Captain Liao |Number one. |
| |02:53:21.4
|10:53:21.4 |Stall warning sounds for the third time. Stick shaker activates for the second time. |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:53:23.3] [sound of stick shaker until 10:53:23.3] |
| |02:53:24.0
|10:53:24.0 |Crew cuts power to the left engine | | |
| |02:53:25.7
|10:53:25.7 |Stall warning sounds for the fourth time. Stick shaker activates for the third time. |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:53:27.3] [sound of stick shaker until 10:53:27.3] |
| |02:53:34.9
|10:53:34.9 |Crew declares emergency |Captain Liu (radio) |Tower transasia two tree five mayday, mayday, engine flameout. |
| |02:53:55.9
|10:53:55.9 |Stall warning sounds for the fifth time. Stick shaker activates for the fourth time. |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:53:59.7] [sound of stick shaker until 10:53:59.7] |
| |02:54:06.1
|10:54:06.1 |Stall warning sounds for the sixth time. Stick shaker activates for the fifth time. |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:54:10.1] [sound of stick shaker until 10:54:10.1] |
| |02:54:09.2
|10:54:09.2 |Crew calls for restarting the left engine multiple times |Captain Liao |Restart the engine. |
| |02:54:12.4
|10:54:12.4 |Stall warning sounds for the seventh time. Stick shaker activates for the sixth time. |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:54:21.6] [sound of stick shaker until 10:54:21.6] |
| 00:13:05.4
|02:54:20.0 |10:54:20.0 |The left engine is restarted | | |
| |02:54:33.2
|10:54:23.2 |Stall warning sounds for the eighth time. Stick shaker activates for the seventh time. |Cockpit area microphone |[sound of stall warning until 10:54:33.9] [sound of stick shaker until 10:54:33.9] |
| 00:13:19.8
|02:54:34.4 |10:54:34.6 |Master warning sounds for 3s |Cockpit area microphone |[master warning] |
| 00:13:20.2
|02:54:34.8 |10:54:34.8 |An unidentified sound is heard |Cockpit area microphone |[unidentified sound] |
| 00:13:21.3
|02:54:35.9 |10:54:35.9 |End of FDR recording |Ground proximity warning system |Pull up. |
| 00:13:21.8
|02:54:36.4 |10:54:36.4 |End of CVR recording |Commentary |[CVR recording ends] |
The final report found that, following the uncommanded autofeather of engine number 2 (right engine), the pilot flying the aircraft reduced power and subsequently shut down the operative engine number 1 (left engine). The flight crew failed to perform the failure identification procedure and did not comply with standard operating procedures. As a result, the pilot flying the aircraft became confused regarding the identification and nature of the propulsion-system malfunction. The autofeathering was caused by compromised soldering joints in the autofeather unit. During the initial stages of the take-off roll, the flight crew did not reject the take-off when the automatic take-off power control system ARM pushbutton did not light, and TransAsia did not have a clear requirement to do so. The loss of engine power during the initial climb and inappropriate flight control inputs by the pilot flying generated stall warnings and activation of the stick pusher to which the crew did not respond in a timely and effective manner. The loss of power from both engines was not detected and corrected by the crew in time and the aircraft stalled during the attempted restart at an altitude from which they could not recover. Ineffective flight crew coordination, communication, and threat and error management compromised the safety of the flight. The crew failed to obtain relevant data from each other regarding the status of both engines. The pilot flying did not appropriately respond to input from the pilot monitoring.{{cite web |date=30 June 2016 |title=Aviation Safety Council Aviation Occurrence Report ASC-AOR-16-06-001 TransAsia Airways Flight GE235 ATR72-212A |url=https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/3209/asc-aor-16-06-001-en.pdf |access-date=6 July 2017 |publisher=Aviation Safety Council |id=ASC-AOR-16-06-001}}
During the investigation, TransAsia Airways disclosed confidential information from the draft report to Next magazine, which published a story in its issue of 11 May 2016. This was an attempt to influence the investigation into the accident. TransAsia Airways were fined NT$3,000,000 (US$92,000).{{cite web |url=http://news.aviation-safety.net/2016/11/28/transasia-airways-fined-disclosing-confidential-information-accident-investigation/ |title=TransAsia Airways fined for disclosing confidential information during accident investigation |date=28 November 2016 |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=29 November 2016}}
Aftermath
The Civil Aeronautics Administration announced it would subject all TransAsia Airways ATR pilots to supplementary proficiency tests between 7 and {{nowrap|10 February}}, resulting in the cancellation of more than 100 TransAsia flights. Ten pilots who failed the engine-out oral test and a further nineteen who did not attend were suspended for one month, pending a retest. TransAsia subsequently demoted one pilot from captain to first officer. Reuters reported that the government ordered all Taiwanese airlines to "review their safety protocols".{{cite news|last1=Hung|first1=Faith|title=Taiwan orders all airlines review safety after bad test results|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-airplane-regulator-idUSKBN0LF0K820150211|access-date=12 February 2015|work=Reuters|date=11 February 2015}}{{cite news|last=Ramzy|first=Austin|date=11 February 2015|title=Many Pilots Fail Safety Test at TransAsia|work=The New York Times|url=http://nyti.ms/1IRVP20|access-date=11 February 2015|issn=0362-4331}} The Taiwanese CAA announced that it is focusing its attention on TransAsia's training and operations and the country's labor ministry fined the airline for breaches of the labor code over excessive working hours.{{cite web|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201502250008.aspx|title=Unqualified TransAsia pilots to be re-evaluated mid-March: CAA|last1=Shu-fen|first1=Wang|last2=Hsin-Yin|first2=Lee|date=25 February 2015|website=Focus Taiwan|access-date=9 March 2015}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/35431-taiwanese-carriers-to-be-fined-for-labour-code-violations |title=Taiwanese carriers to be fined for labour code violations |access-date=9 March 2015 |date=22 February 2015 |website=ch-aviation}}
On {{nowrap|11 February}}, TransAsia offered NT$14.9 million (about US$475,000) in compensation to the family of each of the dead. This amount includes emergency relief and funeral allowance, totaling NT$1.4M (US$44,300), already paid to each family. Not all of the families have accepted the offer.{{cite web |first1=Jack |last1=Board |first2=Victoria |last2=Jen |title=TransAsia offers compensation payment of US$473,000 to each GE235 crash victim |date=11 February 2015 |access-date=11 February 2015 |website=Channel NewsAsia |url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/latestnews/transasia-offers/1651014.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211105744/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/latestnews/transasia-offers/1651014.html |archive-date=11 February 2015 |url-status=dead }}
The taxi that was struck by the plane has been transported and preserved in the Taxi Museum in Su'ao, Yilan County.{{Cite web |title=r/pics - Taxi hit by a plane during the crash of TransAsia Airways Flight235, Taipei 2015. Now in museum. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/rgvxqh/taxi_hit_by_an_plane_during_the_crash_of/?context=3 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=reddit |language=en-US}}{{cite web |date=15 February 2020 |title=全球唯一計程車博物館 藏復興空難被撞小黃 李濟成 熱血擲6000萬 只為讓台灣更美好 |trans-title=The only taxi museum in the world. Li Jicheng spent 60 million to make Taiwan a better place. |url=https://tw.appledaily.com/lifestyle/20200216/ZFGKVNLZ7IJLT2GYVHADYG47A4/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429193023/https://tw.appledaily.com/lifestyle/20200216/ZFGKVNLZ7IJLT2GYVHADYG47A4/ |archivedate=2022-04-29 |website=Apple News Network |language=zh-tw}}
Before this accident, TransAsia Airways Flight 222, which involved another ATR 72-500, crashed during approach as a result of pilot error.
These two accidents significantly weakened the airline's image. The airline ceased operations and shut down indefinitely on 22 November 2016.{{Cite news |date=2016-11-22 |title=Transasia: Taiwan airline shuts after crashes |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38061615 |access-date=2022-07-19}}
In popular culture
The Canadian TV series Mayday (also known as Air Disasters and Air Emergency in the US and Air Crash Investigation in the UK and the rest of the world) covered Flight 235 in episode seven of season 17, called "Caught on Tape", which was first broadcast on 19 September 2017 in Australia.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AirCrash_/status/889769739018424320|title=Air Crash Investigation Season 17, Episode 7 (TransAsia Flight 235) will be known as "Caught On Tape". Air Date: September 19, 2017 (Aus).pic.twitter.com/bzYbKO5dxl|first=Air Crash|last=Investigation|date=25 July 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/tv/air-crash-investigation/|title=Air Crash Investigation - National Geographic|website=www.nationalgeographic.com.au}}
See also
- List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
- Kegworth air disaster, SA Airlink Flight 8911, Transair Flight 810 and Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 56 - other cases of wrong engine shutdown
- Yeti Airlines Flight 691 – inadvertent feathering and loss of thrust on both engines
Notes
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References
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External links
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{{Attached KML}}
- [https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/english/18609/18610/21953/post Final report files in English] - Aviation Safety Council ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210415235915/https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/english/18609/18610/21953/post archive])
- [https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/4443/asc-aor-16-06-001-en.pdf Final report] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210725051036/https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/4443/asc-aor-16-06-001-en.pdf archive])
- [https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/4439/ge235_preliminary-report.pdf Preliminary report]
- [https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/1243/16869/18828/post Final report files in Chinese] - Aviation Safety Council
- [https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/3636/asc-aor-16-06-001-ch.pdf Final report]
- [https://www.ttsb.gov.tw/media/3629/ge235_preliminary-report.pdf Preliminary report]
- [http://www.tna.com.tw/promotions/news_show.aspx?id=686 復興航空說明 2015-02-06 1930 版] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204193455/http://www.tna.com.tw/promotions/news_show.aspx?id=686 |date=4 February 2015 }} [TransAsia Airways Public Statement 2015-02-06 1930 Edition] {{in lang|zh-tw}} – TransAsia Airways
- "[http://www.asc.gov.tw/main_en/docList.aspx?uid=318&pid=43 News Releases] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206164926/http://www.asc.gov.tw/main_en/docList.aspx?uid=318&pid=43 |date=6 February 2015 }}." Aviation Safety Council
- "[http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.ge.235/flight.ge.235.php Flight GE 235 on {{nowrap|4 February}} 2015, ATR 72–600 (72-212A)]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150209181659/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.ge.235/flight.ge.235.php Archive]) – Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile
=Multimedia=
- "[http://appweb.cna.com.tw/webm/menu/akey/201502045005.aspx 復興航空墜機 事件即時統整資訊]," [Fuxing Air Crash Event Instant Integration Information] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150208092659/http://appweb.cna.com.tw/webm/menu/akey/201502045005.aspx Archive]) Central News Agency (Taiwan), 4 February 2015 – Article showing van and another video of the crash {{in lang|zh-tw}}
- {{YouTube|title=YouTube video including rescue and recovery efforts|id=jKNREZ_u8E8}}
- {{YouTube|id=xU0E-w-43Fc|title=Analysis of the incident and review of the ASC Final Report by a commercial aircraft pilot and training captain}}
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Category:Accidents and incidents involving the ATR 72
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Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by wrong engine shutdown