A Japan Coast Guard plane was not officially cleared for takeoff before its tragic crash, according to a transcript of communication with air traffic control released Tuesday.
According to the Japan coast guard, the plane was intending to perform a training flight on Sunday evening when the accident occurred. During the flight, air traffic control notified the pilot that the conditions were not suitable for takeoff. However, the pilot proceeded to take off a reported two minutes after that warning.
The transcript of communications between the air traffic control tower and the plane, released by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, suggest that the pilot had not received formal clearance to take off. The transcript also suggests that air traffic control had just instructed the pilot to “abort the take-off” two minutes before the plane took off. This instruction was made after air traffic control identified a risk in the weather conditions.
The plane ultimately went off the runway and crashed on the beach, killing all nine passengers and crew on board.
This tragedy has raised questions about how well the air traffic control system is monitored in Japan. Safety experts argue that the incident could have been avoided if proper protocol had been followed prior to takeoff. The transcript has also raised concerns as to why the training flight was allowed to take place despite the weather conditions, which were not suitable for flight.
The Japan Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the incident and is expected to release a full report and recommendations in the coming weeks. In the meantime, air traffic control systems are being closely monitored in an effort to help prevent similar tragedies from occurring.