Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104 Explained

Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104 should not be confused with Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 103.

Occurrence Type:Accident
Far Eastern Transport Flight 104
Type:Engine failure
Site:Near Tainan City, Taiwan
Aircraft Type:Handley Page Dart Herald
Operator:Far Eastern Air Transport
Tail Number:B-2009
Origin:Kaohsiung International Airport
Destination:Taipei Songshan Airport
Occupants:36
Passengers:32
Crew:4
Fatalities:36
Survivors:0

Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 104 was a short-haul flight from Kaohsiung International Airport to Taipei Songshan Airport, Taiwan using a Handley Page Dart Herald 201 that crashed on 24 February 1969 upon its approach for an emergency landing in Tainan Airport in Taiwan.[1]

Aircraft

Accident

On February 24, 1969, the B-2009 aircraft carried out the FE104 flight that ended the Spring Festival holiday and flew from Kaohsiung International Airport to Taipei Songshan Airport. The flight took off at 12:03 pm, after a 13-minute delay from 11:50 am. Ten minutes after take-off, the captain told the Tainan Airport Tower that an engine failure had occurred. The aircraft's port-side engine had failed, leaving its propeller windmilling and the aircraft in a shallow descent. The flight crew decided to divert to Tainan Airport in Tainan City. Moments after receiving clearance for an emergency landing, however, the aircraft passed over a wooded area, belly-landed in a small clearing and skidded into a creek. The aircraft broke into three parts and caught fire, killing all on board.

Cause

The right engine had been severely damaged, likely during takeoff, causing the aircraft to quickly lose altitude.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Accident Handley Page HPR-7 Herald 201 B-2009, Monday 24 February 1969 . 2024-08-05 . asn.flightsafety.org.
  2. Web site: https://www.planecrashinfo.com/1969/1969-10.htm . 2024-08-05 . www.planecrashinfo.com.