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| Date: | Monday 26 November 2001 |
| Time: | 14:24 LT |
| Type: |  Boeing 737-54K |
| Owner/operator: | Air Nippon (ANK) |
| Registration: | JA8596 |
| MSN: | 28462/2853 |
| Engine model: | CFMI CFM56-3 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 88 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Near Okinawa-Naha Airport (OKA/ROAH) -
 Japan
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Okinawa-Naha Airport (OKA/ROAH) |
| Ishigaki Airport (ISG/ROIG) | |
| Investigating agency: | ARAIC |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Air Nippon flight 435, a Boeing 737-500, and a British Aerospace U-125A of the Air Self-Defense Force Naha Rescue Corps (52-3002) were involved in an airprox incident near Okinawa-Naha Airport (OKA).
Flight 435 departed from Naha Airport’s Runway 36 at 14:24 under instrument flight rules, bound for Ishigaki Airport. It was flying at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet (300 meters), heading south-southwest.
Meanwhile, the U-125A search and rescue aircraft, having completed a maritime search exercise, was flying under visual flight rules to land on Runway 36 at Naha Airport. After passing the visual reporting point “DOHNATSU” at around 14:24, it turned toward the west side downwind leg of Runway 36.
Almost simultaneously, the Air Nippon flight visually detected the other aircraft, and took evasive action in response to instructions from the onboard airborne collision avoidance system (ACAS). During this process, the two aircraft came into close proximity over the sea about 4 nautical miles north of Naha Airport at 14:26.
Cause
This serious incident is presumed to have occurred because an arriving aircraft approaching Naha Airport from the southwest under VFR (Visual Flight Rules) was late in spotting a departing aircraft flying at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet to the southwest under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) after taking off from the same airport. Additionally, the Naha control tower was focused on handling arriving and departing aircraft and did not pay sufficient attention to the relative positions of the two aircraft, failing to provide timely traffic information. These combined factors led to the two aircraft coming into close proximity.
However, since Aircraft A recognized the presence of the other aircraft via TCAS II, and performed an appropriate evasive maneuver in accordance with the RA (Resolution Advisory) almost simultaneously with visual recognition, the situation did not result in an abnormal close encounter.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://jtsb.mlit.go.jp/aircraft/rep-inci/2002-2-JA8596_52-3002.pdf
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/288079 (Photo)
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 20 November 2006 | JA8596 | Air Nippon (ANK) | 0 | Sapporo-New Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC) | |
min |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Apr-2025 06:19 | Justanormalperson | Added |
| 16-Apr-2025 06:26 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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