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Report blames pilot error for TransAsia crash
A report into the TransAsia crash in July 2014, which killed 48 people, has blamed pilot mistakes, fatigue, bad weather and inadequate safety procedures and checks.
According to Taiwan’s Aviation Safety Council, the airline had failed to act on deficiencies already identified by Taiwan’s civil aviation authorities.
Flight 222 crashed in stormy weather near Magong Airport on Taiwan’s Penghu island. Ten passengers survived.
The twin propeller ATR-72 crashed in a residential area about half a mile from the runway and caught fire, injuring five people on the ground.
The safety report said the crew did not realise they were too close to the ground and repeatedly failed to follow standard operating procedures during the flight.
It said the captain flew too low without making visual contact with the runway, probably because he was overconfident of his flying skills, and the first officer did not correct his mistake.
It told TransAsia to employ more pilots to reduce workload and to invest in safety training.
TransAsia issued a statement saying it respected the investigation findings and said it would set up a safety committee and promote employees with good safety records.
In February 2015, another TransAsia flight suffered a fatal crash when it clipped a bridge shortly after take-off in Taipei, killing 43.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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