What happened
On April 15, 2002, at approximately 11:21, an Air China International flight traveling from Beijing, China, to Busan, Korea, crashed while attempting a circling approach. The aircraft, a Boeing 767-200ER, struck Mt. Dotdae, situated roughly 4.6 km north of the runway 18R threshold at Busan/Gimhae International Airport, at an altitude of 204 meters.
The flight was operating as a scheduled international passenger service under instrument flight rules (IFR) within Korean airspace. At the time of the impact, the aircraft was carrying 155 passengers and 11 crew members, including a captain, two officers, and eight flight attendants.
The impact and subsequent post-crash fire resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. Out of the 166 persons on board, 129 fatalities were recorded, including the captain and two flight attendants. A total of 37 individuals, including the first officer and six flight attendants, survived the accident.
Findings
No specific findings regarding the mechanical or operational cause were provided in the source material.