Haneda crash probe focuses on last 2 minutes of silence

The lead-up to the Haneda Airport runway collision is coming under scrutiny in the government's investigation, with a focus on the two minutes after the last communication between the smaller plane and air traffic control. The final exchange between the airport's control tower and the coast guard plane on Jan. 2 came at 5:45 p.m., according to a transcript released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. "Good evening, No. 1, taxi to holding point C5," an air traffic controller told the coast guard plane. "Taxi to holding point C5 JA722A No. 1, thank you," a flight crew member had responded, repeating the instruction. JA722A was the coast guard aircraft's number. But footage from the airport showed the coast guard plane moving beyond the holding point and onto the runway, where it stopped for around 40 seconds. Around 5:47 p.m., it was struck by a landing Japan Airlines plane. Both aircraft burst into flames, and five of the coast guard plane's six crew members were killed. The Japan Transport Safety Board has since begun questioning air traffic controllers and others to identify the cause of the accident. One key question is why the coast guard plane went onto the runway, despite not being instructed to do so. One possibility is that its flight crew misinterpreted the instructions. The captain, the coast guard plane's sole survivor, has said they were "given permission to enter the runway." Multiple experts believe that the coast guard plane may have rushed to take off after being called "No. 1." The term typically refers to the plane next in line to take off. While it does not indicate permission to go onto the runway, the flight crew may have done so in the mistaken belief that the coast guard plane was next.<br/>