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8 fatalities

Korean Air Flight 6316 Crash (HL7373)

Shanghai-Hongqiao, ChinaTakeoff (climb)

On April 15, 1999, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 (registration HL7373) operated by Korean Air Cargo was involved in an aviation accident near Shanghai-Hongqiao, China during takeoff. 8 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The joint investigative team determines that the probable cause of the Korean Air flight KE 6316 accident was the flight crew's loss of altitude situational awareness resulting from altitude clearance wrongly relayed by the first officer and the crew's… This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered HL7373
Aircraft registered HL7373. Photo: contri from Yonezawa-Shi, Yamagata, Japan / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On April 15, 1999, Korean Air cargo flight KE6316, an MD-11F (HL7373), crashed shortly after takeoff from Shanghai-Hongqiao. All three crew members and five people on the ground were killed.

Incident Overview and Flight Details On April 15, 1999, Korean Air cargo flight KE6316, operated by a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F with Korean registration HL7373, departed from runway 18 at Shanghai-Hongqiao International Airport for Seoul, Korea. The aircraft carried two pilots and one flight technician. Takeoff occurred at 16:01:35 Beijing local time (08:01:35 UTC). The autopilot was disengaged 1 minute and 7 seconds after takeoff, at 16:02:42. Following disengagement, the aircraft initially maneuvered to the right, maintained level flight at approximately 200° track for over 30 seconds, and then maneuvered back to the left. The crew was subsequently cleared to climb to 1,500 meters (4,900 feet). During this climb, the aircraft turned to NHW** at 900 meters (3,000 feet). The aircraft passed 1,310 meters at 16:04:15. After reaching 1,370 meters (4,500 feet) at 16:04:19, the aircraft executed a very rapid descent and disappeared from the airport SSR screen. According to measurements by the Shanghai Seismic Bureau, the aircraft crashed into the ground at 16:04:35. The accident site was located 11.6 kilometers from the airport runway, with a site azimuth of 165° from the center of the runway centerline. The aircraft was totally destroyed. All three crew members were killed, along with five people on the ground. Thirty-six other people were injured, four of them seriously.

Probable cause

The joint investigative team determines that the probable cause of the Korean Air flight KE 6316 accident was the flight crew's loss of altitude situational awareness resulting from altitude clearance wrongly relayed by the first officer and the crew's overreaction with abrupt flight control inputs.
Loss of control in flight

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 15 Apr 1999 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 accident near Shanghai-Hongqiao, China?

On April 15, 1999, Korean Air cargo flight KE6316, an MD-11F (HL7373), crashed shortly after takeoff from Shanghai-Hongqiao. All three crew members and five people on the ground were killed.

Were there any fatalities in the 15 Apr 1999 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 8 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 15 Apr 1999 involved a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, registration HL7373, operated by Korean Air Cargo, at Shanghai-Hongqiao, China.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The joint investigative team determines that the probable cause of the Korean Air flight KE 6316 accident was the flight crew's loss of altitude situational awareness resulting from altitude clearance wrongly relayed by the first officer and the crew's overreaction with abrupt flight control inputs.

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