The flight crew knew they were too low. Though they did not have the runway in sight, they had consciously ventured below the minimum descent altitude during a nonprecision approach to Magong, Taiwan.
What they did not know was their position. They were looking outside, trying to locate the runway through a heavy rainfall, and did not notice that the aircraft was getting dangerously close to the ground and veering off the approach course.
By the time they decided that a go-around was in order, it was too late. The aircraft, an ATR 72-212, crashed in a residential area. Only nine of the 54 passengers survived the accident, eight with serious injuries and one with minor injuries. The other 45 passengers, the two cabin crewmembers and both pilots were killed. Five people on the ground suffered minor injuries.
The aircraft, nine dwellings and a ground vehicle were destroyed by the impact and post-impact fire.
“The investigation identified important learning opportunities for …
