Date & Time:
Jun 22, 2000 at 1451 LT
Type of aircraft:
Xian Yunsunji Y-7-100
Operator:
Registration:
B-3479
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Enshi - Wuhan
MSN:
06 7 08
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
CWU343
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
38
Pax fatalities:
38
Other fatalities:
7
Total fatalities:
49
Aircraft flight hours:
13811
Aircraft flight cycles:
11724
Circumstances:
Wuhan Airlines flight 343 departed Enshi for a flight to Wuhan. The aircraft entered an area of poor weather; rain and thunderstorm with associated windshear. The crew reportedly circled Wuhan for about 30 minutes to wait for the storm to pass. Wuhan's weather bureau recorded 451 thunderclaps in a 10-minute period as the plane circled. During the approach the first officer proposed to land at an alternate airport, but the captain decided to continue to Wuhan. The plane was caught by windshear and crashed near Sitai Village, Yongfeng Township. Half of the plane plunged into a farmhouse and the other half came to rest on a dike of the Han River. Sitai is located about 20 to 30 kilometers (12 to 18 miles) from Wuhan. Seven workers who were installing generators on a vessel were killed when the plane hit.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to severe atmospheric turbulences.
