HK probe: 747 cargo jet veered off runway after No 4 thrust lever moved forward
Hong Kong's aircraft accident authority said a Boeing 747-481 BDSF freighter veered left and left the runway during landing because the No 4 engine thrust lever moved forward. No mechanical fault has been found so far, and the final report is due by end-2026.
Hong Kong's Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) has issued an interim statement on its probe into a Boeing 747-481 BDSF cargo aircraft accident, saying the plane veered left and departed the runway during the landing roll after the No 4 engine thrust lever moved forward.
The investigation team has completed major fieldwork, including recovering wreckage and collecting data and records from the airline, meteorological services, air traffic control and the airport. Relevant aircraft parts, including onboard recording systems, have been sent to the manufacturer's country for examination, and AAIA investigators have travelled overseas to oversee key inspections.
So far, technical examinations of the aircraft parts have not found any mechanical fault related to the accident. The investigation is continuing, including expert spectrographic analysis to determine whether the No 4 thrust lever movement was mechanically driven or caused by external force. The team will also arrange flight simulation tests to reconstruct the runway excursion and review the accident history of the same aircraft type.
An AAIA spokesman said the investigation involves complex technical procedures and requires verification of information with various professional parties. After the accident, the authority immediately inspected the scene, interviewed the flight crew, collected flight documents, flight data and cockpit voice recordings, and recovered the wreckage and flight data recorder as soon as possible. A preliminary report was published on 18 November last year as Bulletin No PLR-2025-04.
The AAIA has actively expedited the investigation and expects to complete it by the end of 2026. The final report will be released after all investigation work and statutory review procedures are finished. The interim statement aims to provide timely updates to the aviation industry and the public.
The AAIA is an independent body under the Transport and Logistics Bureau, established under the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Accident Investigation) Regulations (Cap 448B) and in line with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. Its purpose is to identify accident causes, including human factors, and make safety recommendations to improve passenger safety and prevent recurrence.