National News

JAL, ANA in further trouble

The two nose gear wheels on a Japan Airlines Corp. (JAL) jetliner broke off during landing June 15 at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

A maintenance worker inspects the nose gear of a Japan Airlines jetliner that lost its wheels June 15 while landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

JAL Flight 1002, coming in from Hokkaido's New Chitose Airport, was carrying 210 passengers and 12 crew members. It landed at Haneda at around 10 a.m.

All passengers were evacuated from the Boeing 767-300 aircraft about an hour after the incident, and no one was seriously injured.

Both tires blew when they and their wheel rims separated from the gear. The left tire was found on the runway and the other on a taxiway. Large scars were found on the left tire. The remaining parts of the wheel assembly still attached to the gear were damaged.

Meanwhile, an All Nippon Airways (ANA) plane flew 1,600 meters higher than instructed by air traffic controllers for about 40 minutes June 14 during a flight from Nagasaki to Tokyo due to an altimeter adjustment error.

The Boeing 767, with 96 people on board, apparently did not come close to other planes.

The transport ministry is taking both incidents seriously, especially given the recent rash of JAL safety problems. In April, the ministry said it would subject JAL to special safety inspections through the end of the year. (The Japan Times)

Shukan ST: June 24, 2005

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