China Eastern Flight 583
Encyclopedia
China Eastern Airlines Flight 583 was a China Eastern Airlines
flight from Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai
, People's Republic of China
to Los Angeles International Airport
, Los Angeles
, California
, United States
.
On April 6, 1993, the McDonnell-Douglas MD-11 was cruising above the Pacific Ocean at Mach
0.84 when a crew member accidentally deployed the slats
near the Aleutian Islands. The plane entered into severe oscillations. The aircraft made an emergency landing at Shemya Air Force Base in Shemya
, Semichi Islands
, Alaska
, United States
.
Of the 255 passengers and crew, 60 were hospitalized. Two ultimately died; Sam Keung, an American, died of his injuries in a hospital. Of the cockpit crew, 5 received no injuries and 3 received serious injuries. Of the flight attendants, 8 received no injuries and 4 received serious injuries. Of the surviving passengers, 84 received no injuries, 96 received minor injuries, and 53 received serious injuries. By April 24, 1993 all but three of the surviving passengers were released from the hospital.
Michael Crichton
's novel Airframe
opens with a fatal incident based on flight 583.
China Eastern continues to operate the Shanghai-Los Angeles route as Flight 583 with the flight being operated out of Pudong instead of Hongqiao.
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited is an airline headquartered on the grounds of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in Changning District, Shanghai, China. It is a major Chinese airline operating international, domestic and regional routes. Its main hubs are at Shanghai Pudong...
flight from Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
to Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
On April 6, 1993, the McDonnell-Douglas MD-11 was cruising above the Pacific Ocean at Mach
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
0.84 when a crew member accidentally deployed the slats
Leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, so by deploying slats an aircraft can fly at slower...
near the Aleutian Islands. The plane entered into severe oscillations. The aircraft made an emergency landing at Shemya Air Force Base in Shemya
Shemya
Shemya or Simiya is a small island in the Near Islands group of the Semichi Islands chain in the Aleutian Islands archipelago southwest of Alaska, at . It has a land area of 5.903 sq mi , and is about 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska.The Russian vessel Saint Peter and Paul wrecked at...
, Semichi Islands
Semichi Islands
The Semichi Islands are a cluster of small islands in the Near Islands group of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. They are located southeast of Attu Island and northeast of Agattu Island, near...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Of the 255 passengers and crew, 60 were hospitalized. Two ultimately died; Sam Keung, an American, died of his injuries in a hospital. Of the cockpit crew, 5 received no injuries and 3 received serious injuries. Of the flight attendants, 8 received no injuries and 4 received serious injuries. Of the surviving passengers, 84 received no injuries, 96 received minor injuries, and 53 received serious injuries. By April 24, 1993 all but three of the surviving passengers were released from the hospital.
Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
's novel Airframe
Airframe (novel)
Airframe is a novel by American writer Michael Crichton, first published in hardcover in 1996 by Knopf and as a paperback in 1997 by Ballantine Books...
opens with a fatal incident based on flight 583.
China Eastern continues to operate the Shanghai-Los Angeles route as Flight 583 with the flight being operated out of Pudong instead of Hongqiao.
External links
- Final Accident Report - National Transportation Safety BoardNational Transportation Safety BoardThe National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...