EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport.
According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph).
After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating procedure.
Photo: Taipei Times
The pilot responded by punching the first officer at least four times, the report said, leaving him with swelling and bruising on the back of one hand.
A whistleblower said they were disappointed that an emergency response plan was not immediately activated, and that a pilot exhibiting emotionally unstable behavior was allowed to continue the flight, potentially putting passengers’ safety at risk.
The report said the incident had occurred recently, but did not give a date.
In a statement issued on Saturday, EVA Air said it had launched an investigation immediately after learning of the incident, and was still seeking to confirm the details of what occurred.
The airline said data from the flight’s quick access recorder (QAR) indicated that the plane was complying with regulations while taxiing, and was not speeding.
Records from the QAR have been submitted to regulatory agencies, the company said.
Once the investigation is completed, the pilot, who is currently on flight suspension, would be referred to the airline’s disciplinary review board for further review, EVA Air said.
The Civil Aviation Administration said it had opened its own investigation into the incident, and would impose legal penalties if it is found that any of the crew’s actions affected flight safety.
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