Status: Preliminary
Date: 20 AUG 2007
Time: 10:35
Type: Boeing 737-809
Operator: China Airlines
Registration: B-18616
C/n / msn: 30175/1182
First flight: 2002
Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-7B26
Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 8
Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 157
Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 165
Airplane damage: Written off
Location: Okinawa-Naha Airport (OKA) (Japan)
Phase: Landing
Nature: International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Taipei-Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE/RCTP), Taiwan
Destination airport: Okinawa-Naha Airport (OKA/ROAH), Japan
Flightnumber: 120
Narrative:
China Airlines flight 120 departed Taipei at 08:14. It landed at Naha Airport (OKA) at 10:27 and taxied to the apron. Reaching the stand, ground engineers saw fuel gushing from an area near the nr.2 engine pylon. The pilot shut off the fuel supply to the engines after he was alerted by the ground engineer about the leak. Fuel from the leak flowed beneath the aircraft towards the nr.1 engine. It remains unclear yet what ignited the fuel. The fire engulfed the airplane.
When all occupants had evacuated, a large explosion occurred in the centre of the airplane. The airplane burned out completely.
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Accident Digest by Aviation Safety Network