Seventy-three passengers and six crew members aboard a Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) flight from Taipei were shaken after a plane skidded off the runway in heavy rain at Chiayi Airport yesterday morning. No injuries were reported after the incident.
Airline and aviation authorities have not yet determined whether the cause was human error, poor weather or mechanical failure.
Airline spokespersons said heavy rain caused the MD-82 to fishtail during landing at 7:30am. The plane skidded 270 degrees before coming to a stop with its two rear wheels off the runway, local reports said yesterday.
Chiayi Airport was closed yesterday until noon, and an estimated 21 flights to Taipei, Kinmen and Makung were canceled.
Air force F-16 training flights at the airport were also stopped while airport authorities towed the plane back onto the runway.
The plane had visibility of 1 km at the time, the Cabinet-level Aviation Safety Council announced yesterday. Excessive speed, poor handling of the aircraft, and poor weather conditions are all possibilities, the council said.
Council investigator Li Pao-kang (
Results of the investigation are expected today or tomorrow.
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