FedEx MD-11F plane crash
Tokyo, Japan
23rd March, 2009

Updated on 30th January 2010

Tokyo, Japan The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F operated by FedEx departed Guangzhou, China on a cargo flight to Tokyo-Narita, Japan. The MD-11 landed in high winds. Two crewmembers were onboard (the captain and the first officer). The plane crashed on landing at Tokyo airport, killing both crewmembers.

While landing on runway 16R/34L, the airplane bounced on first touchdown, then dropped from 50-100 ft onto the nosewheel at which point, the plane rapidly banked to the left. The port wing impacted the ground and a fire erupted. The MD-11 rolled further onto its back and slid off the runway. A bright orange fireball and black billowing smoke engulfed the plane as it flipped and skidded off the runway. Firefighters sprayed foam onto the broken remains of the plane with its wheels in the air.

Strong winds gusts up to 75 km/h (40 kts) were lashing the airport area at the time of the crash, and that it had warned airlines of wind shear (sudden change in wind direction that can destabilize a plane). It is probable the plane encountered a wind-shear that caused the MD-11 to dive just before touching down, then hit violently the runway, bounced, and destabilized the plane.

VIDEO SEQUENCE

Disastrous landing for this FedEx MD11

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Vidéo de l’accident du MD-11 cargo filmée par les caméras de l’aéroport de Tokyo. L’appareil manque complètement son atterrissage et explose. Les conséquences sont catastrophiques avec la mort des deux membres d’équipage qui étaient à bord.

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