Singapore Airlines Flight 006

Singapore Airlines Flight 006 was an international scheduled passenger flight from Singapore Changi Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, United States, via Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now known as Taoyuan International Airport) near Taipei, Taiwan. On 31 October 2000, at 23:18 Taipei local time (14:18 UTC), the Boeing 747-400 operating the flight crashed into construction equipment during a typhoon. The disaster resulted in 83 fatalities among the 179 people aboard the aircraft, with 98 occupants initially surviving the impact before two passengers later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. This was the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 747-400 and the first fatal crash in the history of Singapore Airlines.

While the official investigation by Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council attributed the crash to flight crew error, a report by Singapore's Ministry of Transport disputed this finding, arguing that systemic failures in air traffic control (ATC) and airport infrastructure were the primary causes. This position was supported by the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA), among other aviation organisations. The Singaporean analysis emphasised that controllers cleared the aircraft for takeoff despite lacking operational ground radar and facing a blocked line of sight. Furthermore, the report highlighted critical airport oversight deficiencies, including the absence of physical barriers or hazard markings on the closed runway, alongside active taxiway lighting that inadvertently guided the pilots into the construction zone.

Accident

At 23:00 Taipei local time (14:00 UTC) on 31 October 2000, the aircraft left Bay B5 of Chiang Kai-shek International Airport during heavy rain caused by Typhoon Xangsane. At 23:05:57, ground control cleared the aircraft to taxi to runway 05L via taxiways SS, WC, and NP. At 23:15:22, the aircraft was cleared for takeoff on runway 05L.

After a six-second hold, at 23:16:36, the crew attempted takeoff on runway 05R — which had been closed for repairs — instead of the assigned runway 05L (which ran parallel to 05R). The captain correctly acknowledged that he needed to take off on 05L, but he turned the aircraft 215 m too soon and lined up on 05R. The airport was not at the time equipped with ASDE, which is a ground radar that enables air traffic controllers to detect potential runway conflicts by providing very detailed coverage of movement on both runways and taxiways.

Because visibility was poor in the heavy rain, the pilots did not see the construction equipment, including two excavators, two vibrating rollers, one small bulldozer, and one air compressor, parked on runway 05R. In addition, the runway contained concrete Jersey barriers and pits. About 41 seconds after applying full throttle, the aircraft collided with the machinery and broke into three major pieces. The fuselage was torn in two, and the engines and landing gear then separated. A crane tore the left wing from the aircraft, forcing the aircraft back onto the ground. The nose struck a scoop loader, causing a large fire, which destroyed the forward section of the fuselage and the wings. 77 of 159 passengers and four of 20 crew members died at the site of the accident. Many of the dead were seated in the middle section of the aircraft. The fuel stored in the wings exploded and incinerated that section. At 23:17:36, the emergency bell sounded and 41 firefighting vehicles, 58 ambulances, 9 lighting units, and 436 personnel were dispatched to assist survivors and extinguish the fire. Chemical extinguishing agents were deployed on the aircraft approximately three minutes after the impact. At 23:35, the fire was brought under control. At 23:40, nonairport ambulances and emergency vehicles from other agencies congregated at the north gate. At 00:00 Taipei time on 1 November, the fire was mostly extinguished and the front part of the aircraft was destroyed. Authorities established a temporary command centre.