http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/0 ... index.html

You think it looks bad, check the video herE:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/ ... 769945&ch=

Thankfully all the passengers and crew escaped, but the press, as usual,
refer to the burning fuel as petrol, gasoline, benzine depending on where you are. Sometimes I think that journalists exist in their own universe, untouched and uninterested in anything that might have to do with facts.
Hey, maybe that was the cause of the fire; the jet was filled with gasoline instead of kerosene-that`ll do the trick. If so, I take back all I`ve said about journalists.

Hoeri fruk!

Another center fuel tank explosion ?

Looks from the BBC video to me that the fire may have started near the main landing gear. Brake fire from overheating brakes that ignited lightly loaded fuel tanks perhaps?

Amraam

Glad to see no fatalities...therefore...

I think I've seen that interviewed girl before in another "video"...

Their new slogan:

Air China - come fry with us.



Pun on enrgrish only...couldn't resist.

I believe one of the new programs I saw said it had just undergone maintenance at the previous base. My bets are on a fuel leak which only ignited after landing due to the lack cooling air over a hot engine.

Just speculation of course.

Crazy...

i bet it was just another unsafe practice. China airlines dosen't exactly have the best safety record. I can't wait to see what happens to all of these new chinese pilots go back and fly these airbus and boeings. Scary

Pretty crazy picture.......

CAL 737-800 that caught fire had punctured fuel tank

By Leithen Francis

Investigators in Japan have found that the China Airlines (CAL) Boeing 737-800 that was destroyed by fire on 20 August had a bolt on the right wing slat that pierced the fuel tank.

Chief investigator at Japan’s Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission, Kazushige Daiki, told reporters at a press conference in Okinawa that investigators have found a bolt on the 737-800’s right wing slat that had pierced the fuel tank creating a 2-3cm hole.

“The bolt pierced through the fuel tank, and we believe that caused fuel to leak out,” he said.

The CAL 737-800 caught fire on the morning of 20 August soon after it parked at the terminal at Naha airport on the southern island of Okinawa.

All 165 people on board escaped safely before the aircraft become engulfed in flames and was destroyed.

Japanese authorities as well as Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration are investigating the incident.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... -tank.html

that really does not help us much....where did the bolt come from? was it part of the slat that not properly secured and tore a hole in the tank when it was extended? then....hot brakes boom fire?....weird....regardless of what you drive this just seems weird....anyone else have any info?

Over at PPrune, they are into their 5th page on this subject..