Hankyu Airlines charter helicopter crash

The Hankyu Airlines charter helicopter crash was an aviation accident that occurred on 27 September 1990 (Heisei 2) in Hyūga, Miyazaki Prefecture.

Asahi Kasei's scheduled company Flight 204 (Kawasaki BK-117B-1), from Miyazaki Airport to Nobeoka Heliport, crashed near the summit of Mount Makishima in Ōaza Hichiya, Hyūga. The aircraft had been chartered by Asahi Kasei, and 2 crew and 8 passengers were on board; all were killed in the accident.

The accident aircraft

The accident aircraft, a Kawasaki BK-117B-1, was built on 23 May 1990 (Heisei 2) as manufacturer's serial number 1049, and had a total flight time of 72 hours. At the time of the accident, both its weight and centre of gravity are estimated to have been within limits.

Cause of the accident

On 5 December 1990, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission issued its final report. The report gave the cause of the accident as flying at low altitude in extremely poor visibility. It also pointed out the possibility that the captain had fallen into spatial disorientation.

Aftermath

After the accident, Asahi Kasei stopped transporting employees by helicopter.

In response to this accident, Masaharu Shutō, who later became mayor of Nobeoka, called for the early opening of the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. Also, on 24 July 1993 (Heisei 5), work began on speeding up the Nippō Main Line, which had long been requested. The improvement work was expected to cost about 1,500,000,000 yen, and it was carried out with Asahi Kasei bearing part of the cost. Similarly, with Asahi Kasei bearing part of the cost, the Miyazaki Airport Line to Miyazaki Airport was built and opened on 18 July 1996 (Heisei 8).

Many helicopter crashes occurred in 1990, and in the 1 year from 1990 (Heisei 2) to 1991 (Heisei 3) the death toll reached 38. In response to these accidents, the Ministry of Transport carried out surveys, studies and guidance on safety measures.

JA9920 (Aérospatiale Dauphin 2), an aircraft owned by Asahi Kasei itself, passed through several companies and became an NNN news helicopter belonging to Toho Air Service, but on 11 March 2011 (Heisei 23) it was wrecked at Sendai Airport by the tsunami of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and its registration was cancelled on 10 June of the same year.