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SCMP Reporter

THE pilots of a China Airlines Boeing 747-400 that overshot the runway at Kai Tak airport two years ago have been sacked after a 21-month investigation ruled they were to blame for the crash.

  Captain Liu Shou-rong, 49, and his co-pilot, only identified as Li, 39, were 'discharged of their positions' two months ago, said a China Airlines spokesman in Taipei, Steve Yang.

   It was not known what they were now doing.

  Mr Yang said the airline had implemented recommendations made in the crash investigation report.

  On Tuesday, Mr Yang wrongly said the two pilots were still employed by the company and the airline had not seen the final investigators' report into the cause of the November 4 crash of Flight 605 from Taipei.

  He yesterday acknowledged the Taiwanese airline received a final copy of the report in October, when it was completed by the Civil Aviation Department's air traffic general manager and accident investigator James Hui Chi-sum, and approved by the Director of Civil Aviation.

  Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration ordered the airline yesterday to implement a new training programme within two weeks after five incidents caused by human error last year.

  It also ordered the airline to suspend two pilots involved in an accident last month in Manila that forced the shutdown of the Philippine capital's airport for 21/2 days.

  One of the airline's 747s hit a truck shortly after landing on December 11. The following day the same aircraft swerved off the runway and ended up stuck in the mud while trying to take off on three engines.

  The Hong Kong report, released to the public on Tuesday after being given the final approval by Governor Chris Patten, blamed Captain Liu and his co-pilot for a string of mistakes made on touchdown that caused the aircraft to crash into the harbour in poor weather.

  The accident injured 10 of the 296 people on board the jumbo, which had only been in service with the airline for about five months.

  The airline said it accepted the findings and was implementing its recommendations.

  It added the airline had already introduced several 'actions to improve its operations', including establishing a standard procedure for landing in crosswinds, changing its co-pilot qualification evaluation policy and standardising the skills of its flight crew.

  The report said Captain Liu reversed the aircraft's four engines too late, had the automatic wheel-braking mechanism on the wrong setting and instructed his co-pilot to perform a 'non-standard duty' by taking over the wheel after the nose gear touched down.



Kai Tak crash pilots sacked after finding