The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday it would impose penalties on China Airlines (CAL), Starlux Airlines and the Starlux crew after an investigation found they failed to follow established diversion or go-around procedures earlier this year.
On April 3, CAL flight CI753 from Taipei to Singapore experienced a single-engine failure, but chose to return to Kaohsiung International Airport instead of landing at the nearest alternative airport, sparking a controversy.
In the CAL case, an analysis of weather data, communications and other relevant materials showed that while the pilots did not contravene any regulations in executing the in-flight engine shutdown and diversion procedures, the flight’s failure to land at an en-route alternative or the nearest suitable airport reflected shortcomings in the company’s operational oversight, the CAA said.
Photo: Screen grab from the Civil Aviation Administration’s Web site
As such, the CAA would impose penalties on the airline following a review, the aviation regulator said in a statement.
In response, CAL said that its reporting mechanism for abnormal situations during the diversion incident could be improved.
The airline added that it has conducted an internal review and completed revisions to its flight operations manuals to ensure strict compliance with procedures by all personnel.
Photo: Taipei Times
In a separate incident on March 3, two Starlux pilots operating flight JX789 from Taipei to Clark International Airport in the Philippines reportedly failed to perform a go-around maneuver in accordance with the airline’s flight operations procedures.
After investigating the landing and go-around of flight JX789, the CAA said that it found that the crew did not follow proper procedures and that the airline’s internal reporting mechanism was flawed.
As a result, penalties would be issued separately to the airline and the pilots following the review, it said.
Starlux said that upon learning of the incident, it immediately verified the facts and proactively reported the violation to the CAA.
In addition to fully cooperating with the investigation, the airline said it has implemented several measures to enhance pilot training and improve internal reporting procedures to prevent any recurrence.
The two pilots submitted voluntary resignations following the airline’s investigation into the incident, Starlux chairman Chang Kuo-wei (張國煒) said on Friday during the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting.
Pilots may be fined between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000 (US$2,022 and US$10,112), while airlines may face fines ranging from NT$600,000 to NT$3 million for the contraventions, the CAA said.
The final penalty amounts would be determined after deliberation by the CAA review committee.
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