FedEx plane explodes in Japan

A FEDEX cargo plane has crashed at Tokyo’s Narita Airport killing both of the crew. The MD-11 flying out of Guangzhou, China was attempting to land when it ‘bounced’ after the initial touchdown, flipped over and then exploded.

Emergency crew rushed to the scene but the American pilot and co-pilot, Kevin Mosley of Oregon and Anthony Pino of Texas, were already dead.

According to Kazuhito Tanakajima, an aviation safety official at the Japanese Transport Ministry, early investigations suggest that a wind shear was possibly to blame. Local meteorological reports record 75 kph (47 mph) winds at the time.

There have been at least three previous incidents where MD-11’s have had similar accidents, including another FedEx flight at Newark, New Jersey in 1997 and a China Airlines at Hong Kong in 1999.

FedEx said in a statement: “We will continue to work closely with the applicable authorities as we seek to determine the cause for this tragic incident.”

This is the first fatal crash at Narita Airport since it opened in 1978.

Japan Airlines has cancelled 27 flights while All Nippon Airways has cancelled nine flights so far.

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