The MA60 Chinese aircrafts have been described as flying coffins
Washington DC – Cameroon aviation authourities have said they are deploying China’s made MA60 aircrafts for local flights in the country. Despite out pouring of criticism, not just on the exorbitant cost of the planes but more so, on their safety track record, the administration last week made a test flight of them and is on schedule to begin using them for regional air transportation. The SOURCE found out that the safety record of these planes is abysmal and we urge Cameroon aviation authorities to reconsider the deployment of these planes for transportation before they begin killing Cameroonians.
Accidents and incidents
As of May 11, 2015, there have been 13 accidents involving the MA60. One accident was fatal (MZ8968) resulting in 21 passengers and 4 crew members deaths. This prompted New Zealand gov’t to go as far as suspending tourism aid to Tonga and warned tourists about flying the aircraft which had been gifted to the country.
On 11 January 2009, one of the MA60 planes operated by Philippine carrier Zest Airways, crashed at Caticlan Airport when it landed too short on the runway, skidded out of control and crashed into a concrete barrier. The aircraft caught fire and suffered extensive damage to its wing, landing gear, undercarriage and one engine. Several passengers were injured.
In June same year, another MA60 operated by Zest overshot the runway while trying to land at Caticlan airport. As a consequence of this accident a lengthening of the runway and the flattening of a hill that obstructed one of its approaches was carried out.
On May 7, 2011, Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 8968 (with Indonesian registration PK-MZK) went into sea only 500 metres from the runway in bad weather with poor visibility on visual approach to Kaimana Airport, Kaimana, West Papua in Indonesia. It had left Sorong Airport with 19 passengers and 6 crew members on board. All passengers and crew were killed, making this the first reported fatal accident for the Chinese MA60. However, on 24 August 2011 Indonesia’s Transportation Minister determined human error was to blame for the disaster.
On 9 January 2012 a TAM flight from Riberalta Airport to Guayaramerín Airport, Bolivia operated by FAB-96 landed with the undercarriage not deployed due to a mechanical fault, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. There were no injuries amongst the five crew and sixteen passengers.
On 16 May 2013 a Myanma Airways flight from Heho Airport to Monghsat Airport in Burma, overran the runway on landing, resulting in two serious injuries and substantial damage to the aircraft. The MA60 allegedly suffered a brakes failure.
On 10 June 2013 Merpati Nusantara Airlines flight MZ6517 (with Indonesian registration PK-MZO) from Bajawa to Kupang, with 50 people on-board landed hard at Kupang airport in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Two passengers were injured. The plane, which has been damaged beyond repair, lay on its belly on the runway with its engines jammed face down into the tarmac and its wings bent forward which one would expect after such a hard landing.
On 10 June 2013 Myanma Airways flight UB309 from Mawlamyine, Myanmar carrying four crew members and 60 passengers swerved off the runway upon landing at Kawthaung. The plane came to a stop in bushes about 200 feet to the west of the runway, with smoke coming from the left side propeller housing and the propellers on both wings damaged. There were no injuries. It is possible the captain was too early in switching the nosewheel steering to the ‘taxi’ mode during the landing roll and lost directional control. A similar incident occurred in December 2011.
On 4 February 2014 Joy Air flight JR1533 from Taiyuan, China carrying 7 crew members and 37 passengers, had a mechanical failure on the landing gear while landing at Zhengzhou. This caused landing gear to break and the aircraft’s nose cone hit the tarmac. There were no injuries.
On 10 May 2015, Joy Air flight JR1529 from Yiwu to Fuzhou with 45 passengers and 7 crew, landed on Fuzhou runway 03 at about 11:57L (03:57Z) but veered right off the runway and came to a stop right off the runway edge about 500 meters past the runway threshold and about 50 meters off the runway centerline with all gear on soft ground. The engines made ground contact causing the wings to be nearly torn off and substantial damage to the fuselage and structure. 7 occupants received injuries in the accident.
Operational Problems
The New Zealand Government suspended its programme of development aid to Tonga’s tourism industry in July 2013 after the MA60 donated by the Chinese Government was delivered to the airline Real Tonga. In August 2013 the New Zealand Government also issued a statement advising tourists to not travel on Real Tonga’s MA60 on the grounds that “this aircraft has been involved in a significant number of accidents in the last few years”, and the type “is not certified to fly in New Zealand or other comparable jurisdictions.”
Real Tonga ceased operating the MA60 in early 2015 after the Tongan Government passed legislation adopting New Zealand’s civil aviation regulations. A proposal to re-establish Royal Tongan Airlines to operate the MA60 was reported later in the year.
The MA60 Chinese aircrafts have been described as flying coffins
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