 Wreckage of B-5498 on the apron at Ninoy Aquino International Airport | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 16 August 2018 |
| Summary | Runway excursion due to pilot error[1] |
| Site | Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines 14°30′23.7″N 121°0′59.1″E / 14.506583°N 121.016417°E[2]: p2 |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737-85C (WL) |
| Operator | XiamenAir |
| IATA flight No. | MF8667 |
| ICAO flight No. | CXA8667 |
| Call sign | Xiamenair 8667 |
| Registration | B-5498 |
| Flight origin | Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Xiamen, China |
| Destination | Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Occupants | 165 |
| Passengers | 157 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Survivors | 165 |
XiamenAir Flight 8667 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport in Xiamen, China, to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines. On 16 August 2018, the Boeing 737-85C (WL) operating this flight skidded off the runway while attempting to land in poor weather conditions. After leaving the runway, the aircraft hit obstacles that tore off the left engine and the left main gear. The crash occurred at 11:55 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8), and resulted in the destruction of the aircraft. No serious injuries were reported among the crew or passengers. The damaged aircraft took 36 hours to remove from the runway, leading to a major disruption at the airport, which is the primary international gateway to the Philippines. The closure caused the cancellation of more than 200 domestic and international flights, affected more than 250,000 travelers, and prompted calls for enlargement of the airport or the construction of alternative airports to serve the country in the event of future disruptions.
After the accident, the flight crew stated in interviews that a torrential downpour obstructed their view of the runway. The investigation revealed that despite the first officer of the aircraft calling for a go-around several times during the landing, the captain attempted to complete the landing despite not being able to clearly identify the runway. The investigation led to changes in airline policy relating to cockpit resource management, planning, and operations in poor weather conditions. It also led to runway improvements at the airport to remove runway obstructions that had caused most of the severe damage experienced by the aircraft.