What happened
During a night descent toward Hong Kong-Kai Tak Airport, the flight crew encountered heavy fog and low visibility, which prevented them from identifying the runway. In an attempt to mitigate the weather conditions, the pilot initiated a diversion to Tainan Airport. However, after being unable to complete a landing at the diversion site, the aircraft returned to Kai Tak.
While attempting a final approach to runway 31, the aircraft descended below the 400-foot ceiling under night conditions. During a left-hand maneuver intended to align with the approach path, the left wing tip made contact with the water. The aircraft subsequently struck the sea surface approximately 11 km south of the threshold for runway 31 near Aguilar Cape. The impact resulted in the destruction of the plane and 16 fatalities.
Findings
- Low visibility caused by nighttime fog obscured the runway from the pilot.
- The aircraft struck the water during a turn while flying below the established altitude ceiling.