Approach and Impact
The crew initiated the approach to Yichun in poor weather conditions with visibility reduced to 2,800 metres. During the short final, the aircraft was too low and the crew failed to establish visual contact with the runway. The aircraft impacted ground 1,110 metres short of runway 30, slid, and came to rest in flames 690 metres short of the runway. The post-crash fire destroyed the aircraft, and 44 passengers were killed.
Probable Cause
According to official findings, the probable cause was the captain's violation of the airline's flight operations manual by attempting the approach below the required visibility of 3,600 metres. Additionally, the crew descended below the minimum descent altitude in violation of Civil Aviation Authority regulations while operating in fog without visual contact with the runway. Despite aural height warnings and the inability to see the runway, the crew continued the landing without initiating a go-around, resulting in impact with terrain.
Contributing Factors
Several contributing factors were identified. The airline's safety management was insufficient: flight crew frequently deviated from approach profiles, including excessive descent rates and unstable approaches; crew rostering and cooperation were inadequate, with both pilots flying into Yichun for the first time despite known safety risks; and emergency training did not meet requirements, particularly regarding cabin door and overwing exit operation. Parent company Shenzhen Airlines failed to provide sufficient funding and technical support after taking over Henan Airlines in 2006, and Air China, a stockholder, did not address safety management issues. The Civil Aviation Authority lacked supervision: the flight license from Harbin to Yichun was granted without route validation; cabin crew were certified despite not meeting requirements; and a regional office approved non-standard procedures without informing superiors.