Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the most deadliest single aviation incident in the history of aviation and the second most deadliest of all time ,(behind the Tenerife Disaster of 1977) ;Japan Air 123.
About Japan Air 123
On August 12 1985 Japan Air 123 was scheduled for a routine flight on a B747SR REG JA8119 from RJTT TO RJOO(Tokyo Haneda TO Osaka
Itami)Twenty minutes after departure a sudden Decompression occurred and The Vertcial Stabalized ripped off.They had no hydraulic control and were trying to make an emergency landing back in Haneda.However it was not possible,After an incredible 10-15minutes with an uncontrollable 747,it crashed around MT.Takamagahara in Ueno Gunma Prefecture.
Miraculously there were 4 survivors in a crash that would be unlikely to have survivors .However 505 pax did not survive
The First wave up responders immediately acted but abandoned due to weather reasons.Many criticize that as they think more survivors could have been saved,As it was only 14hrs later that the first responders arrived.
The cause
The Japanese Aviation Accident Investigation Commission later found the cause to be a tailstirke 7years ago at RJOO and faulty maintenance not according to Boeing protocol lead to the incident.
As a result the aircraft decompressed,hydraulic systems failed,vertical stabilizer ripped off and all of that ultimately led to the crash.
Legacy and aftermath
After the incident the trust level from Japan Air dropped dramatically.Infact many of Japan’s pax switched to ANA.
A monument is built to remember JAL123 and an annual gathering every AUG12th at the crash site.
We learn how important maintenance is and how fragile a plane is in real life .IF is a different story…lol