The China Airlines plane crash at Chek Lap Kok in 1999 raised questions of great public importance. We are still waiting for them to be answered five years later. This unsatisfactory situation should not be allowed to continue.
Three people died and 50 were injured when the passenger jet crashed and burst into flames during bad weather caused by Typhoon Sam. It is the only serious accident to have occurred at the international airport.
There has been much debate about the causes of the crash. It has been attributed variously to pilot error, a mechanical malfunction or to wind conditions at the airport. These have been considered in depth by two separate inquiries. Witnesses have been called, evidence examined and two different reports prepared. Many millions of tax dollars have been spent. But the government has not yet seen fit to make either report public.
The first inquiry, conducted by the Civil Aviation Department behind closed doors, was completed by May 2002. It was made available privately to the parties to the inquiry. The result was then leaked. The department blamed the accident on pilot Gerardo Lettich's failure to properly control the plane.
This finding has been disputed by China Airlines and questioned by international experts. The manner in which the inquiry was conducted has also come under attack. One air-accident investigator described it as 'third world'.
A review hearing - the first of its kind - was held in November 2003. The tribunal which heard the evidence was appointed by the chief executive and chaired by a magistrate. This time, the proceedings were held in public.
The tribunal's report was expected to be released last February. But it failed to materialise. It is now understood that the tribunal findings were sent to the chief executive on December 15. They are still sitting on his desk. Tung Chee-hwa's office says he is considering whether to make them public.