At around 9:30 p.m. local time, flight CA428 turned south in the direction of Tai O village — and nearby mountains — instead of heading west until it left the island as the aircraft usually would, according to images from the Flightradar aircraft tracking site.
The Airbus A320 corrected itself after an air control officer issued an immediate warning and provided directions on how to return to the intended flight path, landing safely two hours later in the city of Chengdu.
When the passenger plane made the wrong turn it was flying at 3,400 feet, and the nearest peak was 3,066. It’s the highest point on Lantau.
Licensed pilot and Civic Party lawmaker Jeremy Tam Man-ho claimed that 4,300 feet is actually the minimum altitude safe to fly in that area.
He was quoted by the South China Morning Post saying, "If the plane was carrying more cargo or passengers, or if the plane was a bigger one, it might not have achieved its altitude at that time … If the plane turned towards the mountains at an even lower altitude, you could imagine what the consequence could have been."
Tam also pointed out that a crash would have been avoided as the aircraft’s anti-collision system would have compelled the plan to climb upward immediate.
Air China says that the pilot decided to turn before the air traffic control officer confirmed their directions due to a busy radio signal.
Tam said that even if there were issues with the radio, the pilot should have stayed with his normal path.
An Air China spokesman said, "Air China has been putting air safety as our top priority … We will further strengthen our safety education."
