The Civil Aviation Administration said the distress call occurred after a separate landing incident involving a T’way Air flight arriving from Jeju International Airport (CJU/RKPC). That aircraft experienced a landing gear failure, prompting the closure of the airport’s north runway and triggering a chain of operational delays. The runway disruption began when the T’way Air aircraft landed and suffered a detachment of its right main landing gear. Airport authorities closed the north runway to allow for inspection, recovery, and safety checks.
As air traffic congestion built up, five inbound flights were affected by extended holding patterns. Three of these flights were operated by EVA Air. With fuel levels reportedly running low, the affected crews declared a mayday call to alert air traffic control of their urgent operational status.
The Civil Aviation Administration confirmed that the mayday declarations were linked to fuel concerns caused by the prolonged runway closure. Following the incident, Taiwan’s aviation regulator launched a formal investigation to assess whether the flight crew’s actions complied with existing regulations.
Crew interviews were completed several days after the event as part of the review process.
The authority cited Article 57 of the Civil Aviation Act when ordering EVA Air to take immediate corrective measures. The airline was found to have failed to preserve cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder information as required.
Investigators are also examining the timing and decision-making process related to potential diversions to alternate airports. Any regulatory breaches identified during the investigation will be addressed in accordance with applicable aviation laws, and the two pilots could face instant dismissal.
No comments:
Post a Comment