Flight 402 Accident at Tokyo International Airport (CF-CPK)

Flight Operations and Diversion History Flight 402 departed Hong Kong at 1614 hours Japan Standard Time, en route to Tokyo and Vancouver via Taipei, Kagoshima, and Ohshima. At 1908 hours, the aircraft passed over the “Spencer Victor” waypoint at 25,000 ft and began a gradual descent. By 1912 hours, it crossed “Rice Victor” at 18,000 ft and entered the Kisarazu holding pattern at 14,000 ft, awaiting improved weather at Tokyo International Airport (TIA). At 1942 hours, the flight advised Tokyo air traffic control that it would divert to Taipei if conditions did not improve within 15 minutes. At 1952 hours, Tokyo ATC reported a runway visual range (RVR) of 2,400 ft, and the pilot requested an approach clearance. The aircraft descended to 3,000 ft in the holding pattern, but deteriorating weather prevented the approach. At 1958 hours, the pilot requested clearance to divert to Taipei and began climbing. At 2005 hours, while heading for Tateyama, Tokyo ATC advised that visibility at TIA had improved to 4 miles with an RVR of 3,000 ft. The pilot then requested clearance to return to Kisarazu and began descending from 11,500 ft. At 2011 hours, the aircraft arrived over Kisarazu at 3,000 ft and commenced another approach under ground-controlled approach (GCA) instructions.