Accident
Following a night takeoff from runway 03 at Hualien Airport, the aircraft began climbing. The crew initiated a left turn. At an altitude of 7,000 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located in the Chiashan Mountain Range, approximately 10 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, and all 54 occupants were killed.
Investigation
Investigators determined that the collision with the ground was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain. The crew had failed to follow the proper departure route and published procedure. Specifically, after takeoff from runway 03, the crew should have turned to the right over the sea, but instead initiated a left turn, which was a procedure valid only for runway 21 departures.
Contributing Factors
Several contributing factors were reported:
- Poor flight preparation
- The crew failed to follow the departure route from runway 03
- The crew initiated a turn to the left, a procedure valid for runway 21 departure only
- Poor crew coordination
- The crew failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist
- Poor visibility due to the night