China Airlines Boeing 747-200B: The Queen's Scar From the Past

The Boeing 747-200B was one of the backbones for many major airlines on her glory times, one of the operators the Boeing 747-200B was China Airlines, the flag-carrier airline of the Republic of China (Taiwan). China Airlines ordered the Boeing 747-200B to operate long-haul routes. Here's the story of the dynasty of the Boeing 747-200B, the queen of the skies in Taiwanese sky.

China Airlines introduced its first jumbo jet in 1976, the Boeing 747-100 to operate highly profitable trans-pacific routes to the United States. Then, the larger version of the Boeing 747, the Boeing 747-200B was delivered to China Airlines in 1979, exactly on July 31, 1979. At the same year, China Airlines switched all its operations from Songshan International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan to the newly built international airport, the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. The first Boeing 747-200B of China Airlines was B-1866. After the delivery of the Boeing 747-200B, China Airlines introduced its first European route, Amsterdam. That was the beginning of the queen of the skies' dynasty. Boeing 747-200B mainly served China Airlines' long-haul international routes such as to the United States and Europe. The Boeing 747-200B also served some high-demand short-haul passenger routes.

B-1866, the first Boeing 747-200B of China Airlines at Kai-Tak International Airport in Hong Kong in 1978 with the old "Republic of China" livery

B-1886, the China Airlines’ second Boeing 747-200B at Schiphol International Airport in Amsterdam with "Republic of China" livery

B-1888, the third (and also the last) Boeing 747-200B of China Airlines, with "Republic of China" livery

Beside B-1866, China Airlines also had the another two orders of Boeing 747-200B. The second Boeing 747-200B, B-1886, was being delivered to China Airlines on April 17, 1981. The third Boeing 747-200B, B-1888, was being delivered to China Airlines on March 4, 1982. B-1888 was the last of three Boeing 747-200B ordered by China Airlines. China Airlines used 3-4-2 seating configuration on its Boeing 747-200B, it means every Boeing 747-200B had nine seats in a row instead of a standard Boeing 747 with ten seats in a row. There were 274 seats in China Airlines Boeing 747-200B, consist of 22 first class seats, 84 business class seats, 131 main deck economy class seats, and 37 upper deck economy class seats).

On February 7, 1980, B-1866, the first Boeing 747-200B of China Airlines was on the way from Arlanda International Airport in Stockholm, Sweden to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan via King Abdulaziz International Airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong, China. B-1866 was operated flight CI9. While landing in Kai Tak International Airport, Hong Kong it suffered tail strike and the jumbo jet's tail scraped along the runway for few hundred feet. The aircraft depressurized and ferried back to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, Taiwan at the same day. A temporary repair did the day after. A more permanent repair was conducted by a team from China Airlines from 23 May through 26 May 1980. After the repairment, B-1886 was returned back to services.

B-1866 after re-painted to the new "Plum Blossom" livery

B-1886 with the new “Plum Blossom” livery

B-1888 wore the new “Plum Blossom” livery, on a final approach to Kai-Tak International Airport in Hong Kong 

At the time, China Airlines wore Republic of China livery on all its aircraft. In 1995, China Airlines unveiled the new livery, the Plum Blossom livery. Plum Blossom is the national flower of the Republic of China, all three China Airlines' Boeing 747-200B later painted with the Plum Blossom after the introduction of the new livery.

B-1866 after being re-registered as B-18255

B-1886 after being re-registered as B-18753 and converted into a cargo aircraft

B-1888 after being re-registered as B-18755 and converted into a cargo aircraft

In January 1999, China Airlines converted its two Boeing 747-200B aircraft into cargo aircraft (Boeing 747-200B(SF)). China Airlines also re-registered both aircraft, B-1886 became B-18753 and B-1888 became B-18755). Both aircraft were operated by China Airlines Cargo after that. But, China Airlines still kept one Boeing 747-200B, B-1866 for passenger services, but it re-registered as B-18255.

Since 1990, China Airlines started to receive the Boeing 747-400s. This aircraft would replace the Boeing 747-200Bs. It means the Boeing 747-200B would be retired soon as the Boeing 747-400s would take over the Boeing 747-200B routes. Then, China Airlines started to look for the purchasers for the Boeing 747-200B. Later, China Airlines agreed to sell its last Boeing 747-200B (passenger version), B-18255 to Orient Thai Airlines for US$1,45 million.

Then, on May 25, 2002, China Airlines was prepared for the last passenger flight of its Boeing 747-200B from Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei (the major airport of Taipei was Chiang Kai-shek before renamed as Taoyuan later) to Cheap Lap-Kok International Airport in Hong Kong. The last passenger flight of China Airlines Boeing 747-200B was being operated as China Airlines flight 611 (CI611/CAL611/Dynasty 611). Originally, the planned aircraft for flight CI611 was a Boeing 747-400, B-18272. But, B-18272 later relocated into the another route. The only available plane for flight CI611 was only an under inspection Boeing 747-200B, B-18255. The Taipei-Hong Kong route itself is one of the most heavily traveled passenger air routes, sometimes it referred as "Golden Route." After the flight from Hong Kong to Taipei, the plane, B-18255 would be sold to Orient Thai Airlines.

On May 25, 2002, B-18255 operated China Airlines flight 611 from Taipei to Hong Kong, the return flight would be the last passenger flight of China Airlines Boeing 747-200B, at the edge of the queen of the skies' dynasty, Captain Yì Qīngfēng piloted B-18255 as a captain. The first officer Xiè Yàxióng was on duty at the day as a first officer and flight engineer Zhào Shèngguó was the flight engineer of the flight. The plane carried 206 passengers and 19 crews at the time, all the passengers and crews were ethnic Chinese, expect a sole Swiss man.

On 15.08 Taipei time (07:08 UTC), B-18255 took off from Taipei-Taoyuan International Airport, the queen's dynasty would come to the end. The jumbo jet was cleared to climb to flight level 350 (35,000 feet/11,000 meters) at 15.16. At 15:33, B-18255 reached flight level 350. But, at the same time, the contact from China Airlines flight 611 was lost. The air traffic controller was tried to contact flight 611, but there was no answer. Flight 611 disappeared from the radar screen. After flight 611 disappeared, two Cathay Pacific's aircraft that flew near the place where the last contact of flight CI611 had occurred receive B-18255's emergency location-indicator signal. At 17.05, a military Lockheed C-130 Hercules spotted a crashed airliner, 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) northeast of Makung. The first body was found at 18:10, there were no survivors. 15% of the wreckage were recovered, with no sign of burns, explosives, or gunshots. Before crashed, there was no distress signal or communication. Radar data suggested if the aircraft broke into four pieces at flight level 350. Magazines, documents, luggage, photographs, Taiwan dollars, and a China Airlines-embossed, blood-stained pillowcase were found 80 miles (150 kilometers) from the crash site in villages in central Taiwan, indicated if the aircraft broke into pieces in-mid-air.

Debris from China Airlines flight 611 

The final report found if the accident was the result of metal fatigue, caused by a tail strike at Kai Tak International Airport, Hong Kong, 22 years earlier. A repair that held by China Airlines team was not carried out in accordance with the Boeing Structural Repair Manual (BSRM). The area of damaged skin in Section 46 was not removed and the repair doubler plate that was supposed to cover in excess of 30 percent of the damaged area did not extend beyond the entire damaged area enough to restore the overall structural strength. After many takeoffs and landing cycles for 22 years, the hull experienced depressurization and pressurization and started to crack, the crack finally broke up in mid-air on flight 611.

The debris of N714CK (ex-B-18753) in Miami, Florida after crashed due to double engine failure

After the crash of China Airlines flight 611, China Airlines started to improve its safety record and after the crash of flight 611, China Airlines has no accident resulting fatality again. The airline also no longer operate the Boeing 747-200B again. The China Airlines' two Boeing 747-200B that converted to freight aircraft, B-18753 and B-18755 later sold to an American cargo airline, Kalitta Air in 2002. B-18753 later being re-registered as N714CK and B-18755 being re-registered as N715CK. But, N714CK (ex. B-18753) crashed near a village in Miami, Florida shortly after departed from El Dorado International Airport in Bogota. This accident occurred on July 7, 2008, caused by double engine failure.

After 22 years of its dynasty, the queen of the skies, Boeing 747-200B finally came down from her throne. But, the story doesn't end there. Her descendant, the Boeing 747-400 is continuing the dynasty of the Boeing 747 replacing the Boeing 747-200B in China Airlines. But, the dynasty of Boeing 747 in China Airlines will come to the end as the Boeing 747-400 will go from China Airlines.

"The queen died and came down from her throne, her scar from the past destroyed her after she tried to hide it for 22 years." 

"Tribute to 225 passengers and crews who died on board China Airlines flight 611, they may be rest in peace."