Incident Overview

Date: Friday 2 June 1978
Aircraft Type: Boeing 747SR-46
Owner/operator: Japan Air Lines – JAL
Registration Number: JA8119
Location: Osaka-Itami Airport (ITM) – ÿ Japan
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 394
Component Affected: Rear underside of the fuselage, rear pressure bulkhead, lower half of the bulkhead, aft pressure bulkhead, tail, vertical fin, and hydraulic flight control systems.Rear underside of the fuselage, rear pressure bulkhead, lower half of the bulkhead, aft pressure bulkhead, tail, vertical fin, and hydraulic flight control systems.
Category: Accident
A Boeing 747SR-46 passenger plane experienced a severe tailstrike accident at Osaka-Itami Airport (ITM) on June 17, 1978. The aircraft floated for several seconds after touchdown, followed by a heavy impact with the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the rear fuselage. Seven years later, JA8119 suffered an in-flight rupture of the aft pressure bulkhead, leading to further damage to the tail, vertical fin, and hydraulic flight control systems. Only seven survivors out of 524 were able to escape the crash.A Boeing 747SR-46 passenger plane experienced a severe tailstrike accident at Osaka-Itami Airport (ITM) on June 17, 1978. The aircraft floated for several seconds after touchdown, followed by a heavy impact with the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the rear fuselage. Seven years later, JA8119 suffered an in-flight rupture of the aft pressure bulkhead, leading to further damage to the tail, vertical fin, and hydraulic flight control systems. Only seven survivors out of 524 were able to escape the crash.

Description

A Boeing 747SR-46 passenger plane sustained substantial damage in a tailstrike accident while landing at Osaka-Itami Airport (ITM), Japan. There were 379 passengers and 15 crew members on board. Two passenger sustained serious injuries and 23 passengers were slightly injured. Following a normal ILS approach to runway 32L, the aircraft floated for a few seconds after touchdown. The tail then struck the runway heavily on the second touchdown. Weather was fine wind was 270ø at 15 knots. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the rear underside of the fuselage. The rear pressure bulkhead was cracked as well. The aircraft was repaired by Boeing. Engineers between June 17 and July 11, 1978. They replaced the lower part of the rear fuselage and a portion of the lower half of the bulkhead. Seven years later, on August 12, 1985, JA8119 suffered an in-flight rupture of the aft pressure bulkhead and the subsequent ruptures of a part of the fuselage tail, vertical fin and hydraulical flight control systems. The airplane was barely controllable and crashed into the side of a hill. Just four of the 524 on board survived the accident.

Primary Cause

Tailstrike accident during landing.Tailstrike accident during landing.

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