American Airline Training And Conference Center

American Airline Training And Conference Center

American Airline Training And Conference Center

The History

Recently a Jetblue Airbus caught fire while on the ground near the hanger. Only mechanics were onboard however, the engine and wing suffered severe damage. Preliminary results are that there was an “electrical short…in a fuel vapor environment…” March 3rd 2001 a Thai Airways B-737 blew up on the ground at the gate because of an “electrical short…in a fuel vapor environment…” On May 11th 1990 a one year old Philippines Airlines B-737 blew up on the ground preparing for take off because of an “electrical short…in a fuel vapor environment…” Today China Airlines flight CI-120 was on an international flight from Taipei Taiwan to Naha Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. The flight was, by all means, normal until the last few minutes at the gate when it suddenly blew up. Already what probably happened is well known in aviation circles and an electrical short…in a fuel vapor environment…” is considered the prime culprit.*

The Facts

Flight CI-120 was a Boeing B737-800 Serial Number 30175 (Registration B-18616 built in 2002) that departed RCTP at 08:15 and arrived OKA at 10:31 (local time.) The one hours 16 minute flight had 157 passengers and 8 crew on board including 2 infants. 8 minutes after landing at Naha airport OKA (ICAO identifier ROAH) the flight arrived at parking stand #41. Several seconds later the flight burst into flames.

According to witnesses, the ground crew noticed fuel coming from under the center of the aircraft. It is known that the Captain ordered an emergency evacuation, the cabin crew (having doors still armed) immediately initiated the mass departure and all persons got out safely. Several minutes later there was an explosion under the #1 engine followed by an explosion under the #2 engine that completely engulfed the center section of the aircraft.