All Nippon Airways Sendai Airport landing accident

The All Nippon Airways Sendai Airport landing accident (Zen Nikkū-ki Sendai Kūkō chakuriku shippai jiko) was an aviation accident in 1963 (Shōwa 38) in which an All Nippon Airways Douglas DC-3 attempting to land at Sendai Airport failed to land, and a total of 7 crew and passengers suffered serious or minor injuries.

It became a landmark precedent for its time, adopting the concept of the "average pilot" (average skill) in a criminal trial.

Outline of the accident

On 10 May 1963, All Nippon Airways Flight 802 (DC-3, registration: JA5040) from Chitose Airport to Haneda Airport (via Misawa and Sendai) landed at around 4:53 pm at Sendai Airport, an intermediate stop, but the aircraft began to weave left and right and became unstable, so the crew decided to go around. The engines were opened to full power but the aircraft veered off the runway; although it lifted off over the grass, its right wingtip struck the windsock pole and it became unable to fly, and further, the right wingtip, which had touched the ground, caught in a hole used for rainfall measurement, so that the aircraft rotated 180 degrees and slammed into the ground. In this impact 7 crew and passengers suffered serious or minor injuries. The accident aircraft was deemed beyond repair and its registration was cancelled.

Trial concerning the accident

The Sendai District Public Prosecutors Office indicted the captain for professional negligence resulting in injury, on the grounds that there had been a "piloting error". The reasons were as follows.

Negligence regarding correction of the weaving (excessive or late use of the controls)

Negligence regarding handling during the go-around (abrupt acceleration)

In response, the defence rebutted this completely. Expert reports on the DC-3 by veteran pilots, Civil Aviation Bureau inspectors and others were submitted and examinations were held in court.

On 31 March 1966, the Sendai District Court, in the conclusion of its judgment, stated that "if the defendant's skill had been more excellent, this accident might not have occurred, but the defendant possessed the skill generally required of an aircraft pilot, and no neglect of skill or error can be recognised in the specific handling in this case (= average pilot)", largely accepting the arguments of the defendant and the defence, and acquitted him.