A Split-Second Decision at 39,000 Feet
On January 31, 2001, two Japan Airlines flights carrying a total of 677 people came within 135 meters of colliding in mid-air over Suruga Bay. Flight 907, a Boeing 747 with 411 passengers and 16 crew, had departed from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport bound for Okinawa.
Flight 958, a DC-10 with 237 passengers and 13 crew, was en route from Gimhae, South Korea, to Narita. The aircraft were meant to pass 2,000 feet apart. Instead, they nearly struck each other in clear skies.
A Critical Error at Tokyo Control
As Flight 907 climbed to 39,000 feet, its traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) instructed it to climb. Simultaneously, Tokyo Area Control Center trainee Hideki Hachitani mistakenly told the flight to descend. Flight 958, cruising at 37,000 feet, received a TCAS command to descend and followed it.
The supervisor, Yasuko Momii, added to the confusion by mistakenly referencing a non-existent “Flight 957.” With both aircraft descending and no longer relying on TCAS, they remained on a collision course.
A Sudden Evasive Dive
Visual contact was made moments before impact. Flight 907’s crew initiated an evasive dive, causing unsecured passengers, attendants, and carts to slam into the ceiling. Seven passengers and two crew members suffered serious injuries, while 91 others were treated for minor injuries.
One drink cart scalded passengers, and one boy was thrown across four rows. The 747 returned to Haneda at 16:44 with ceiling panels damaged. The DC-10 continued safely to Narita, landing at 16:32.
From Investigation to Conviction
Aviation authorities called for clearer international rules on TCAS versus ATC commands. ICAO adopted new standards in 2003 giving TCAS absolute priority. Japan’s transport ministry and Tokyo police launched investigations. In 2004, Hachitani and Momii were charged with professional negligence.
They were acquitted in 2006, but a 2008 appeal found them guilty. Hachitani received a 12-month suspended sentence; Momii received 18 months, also suspended. Japan’s government later compensated Japan Airlines and its insurer with ¥82.4 million.
A Flight Path Rewritten by Seconds
The 2001 Japan Airlines incident became a pivotal case in air traffic safety. It resulted in regulatory changes, a high-profile criminal trial, and years of litigation.
The collision was ultimately avoided by the pilots’ last-second maneuver, but only narrowly—and at a cost of over 90 injuries and sweeping changes in international air safety protocols.
On January 31, 2001, two Japan Airlines planes nearly collided mid-air over Suruga Bay.
One carried 427 people, the other 250.
A trainee air traffic controller gave the wrong command.
Seconds later, passengers were being thrown into the ceiling…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/9PJgcv4Tun
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