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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1993
FLIGHT OCCURRENCE REPORT FILED WITH CAD
* * * * *
FLIGHT
IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE RETURNING OF KA330 FROM BEIJING TO HONG KONG ON SATURDAY (SEPTEMBER 11) NIGHT, DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION, MR PETER LOK, SAID:
"A
MANDATORY OCCURRENCE REPORT HAD BEEN FILED WITH AVIATION DEPARTMENT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE AIR
(OVERSEAS TERRITORIES) ORDER.
**
THE
THE CIVIL NAVIGATION
ΤΟ THE
FURTHER INVESTIGATION WILL BE UNDERTAKEN PURSUANT CIRCUMSTANCES LISTED IN THE ORDER (SCHEDULE 15) WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, HE SAID.
WHILE PROCEEDING то A HOLDING AREA NEAR BEIJING TO AWAIT WEATHER IMPROVEMENT, THE FLIGHT PASSED BETWEEN THUNDERSTORM CELLS, SEVERE TURBULENCE AND HEAVY RAIN. HAIL WAS ENCOUNTERED FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 SECONDS.
MR LOK SAID THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY HAIL, WERE CONFINED TO THE NOSE RADOME AND THE WINDSHIELD OUTER LAMINATES.
"BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTED FORWARD VISIBILITY OUT OF THE FLIGHT DECK, THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO HONG KONG," HE SAID.
DAMAGE
THERE WAS SOME PITTING OF THE AIRFRAME, BUT THERE WAS NO AFFECTING THE STRUCTURAL STRENGTH OR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WOULD HAVE WARRANTED INVESTIGATION AS AN ACCIDENT, HE SAID.
THE RADOME DAMAGE WAS SUPERFICIAL AND IT REMAINED
STRUCTURALLY
INTACT.
"ALTHOUGH THE DAMAGE LOOKED ALARMING, AND WERE PORTRAYED AS SUCH IN SOME MEDIA REPORTS, THE DAMAGE TO THE WINDSCREEN AFFECTED ONLY THE OUTER LAMINATES WHICH PROVIDED RESISTANCE TO ABRASION BUT CARRIED NO STRUCTURAL LOAD.
INTACT,
"THE INNER LAMINATES WHICH CARRIED THE STRUCTURAL LOAD REMAINED
MR LOK SAID.
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