TOKYO, Japan – All 379 passengers and crew on board a Japan Airlines flight miraculously escaped a fiery crash at Haneda airport, leaving experts puzzled over how they managed to survive. The Airbus A350-900 jet collided with a coast guard plane during landing, leading to a fire that quickly engulfed the aircraft. Despite the intense flames, the plane did not explode on impact, and authorities took nearly three hours to extinguish the fire.
Aviation engineers have increasingly used carbon fiber composite materials in modern aircraft to reduce weight and increase efficiency. Approximately half of the A350 is constructed with these materials, including wings and the fuselage. While these materials burn more easily, experts believe they did not significantly impact the way the plane burned. Japan Airlines had only recently taken delivery of the A350 in November 2021.
The footage of the incident indicated that the initial flame was concentrated on the aircraft’s left wing, reaching temperatures above 1000 degrees Celsius. Despite the intense fire, it was contained long enough for everyone to evacuate safely. The relatively low amount of fuel the plane was carrying likely minimized the intensity of the fire and prevented a potential explosion, according to industry consultant Neil Hansford.
Despite the challenges, cabin crews successfully evacuated all passengers, and the aircraft interior was designed to prevent the spread of flames for as long as possible. Experts believe that, had the plane been carrying more fuel, the outcome might have been very different. In the end, the investigation will need to explore all factors, including the aircraft’s construction materials, fuel levels, and evacuation procedures, to understand how such a disaster was narrowly averted.