Comes On The Heels Of Government's Operations Warning

Have you ever heard the old saying that astronauts have just one rule? It is: Don't screw up. Well, Japan Airlines is playing by the astronaut's rule these days, after getting an embarrassing and rather dire series of operational warnings from the Japanese government.  So it probably didnt' help matters when JAL aircraft are involved in more incidents.

Such was the case Tuesday, when a JAL 767-300 landing in Fukushima Airport in Sukagawa scraped the runway with its empennage.

It happened at 0917 local time when the aircraft, with 124 passengers and nine crew members on board, when Japanese Transport Ministry officials said the aircraft yawed in moderate winds while on short final. The officials said the aircraft's tail struck the runway along a metal skid installed to alleviate the damage from just such an occurrence.

As ANN reported earlier this month, the Japanese government issued a series of stern warnings to JAL over operational mishaps that included rolling without take-off clearance and other issues -- both safety and mechanical. 

It also came just a few minutes before yet another JAL aircraft declared an inflight emergency on a flight from Hiroshima to Haneda Tuesday. The flight crew reported problems with the Airbus A300-600's control column, according to the Daily Yomiuri. Some 55 emergency vehicles were reportedly standing by as the aircraft landed, but there were no further incidents.

FMI: www.jal.co.jp/en