Zhang Pilin

Case overview

Zhang Pilin (张丕林) died in the plane crash of China Northern Airlines Flight 6136 (CBF6136, CJ6136). The flight was from Beijing Capital International Airport to Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, a coastal city in Liaoning province in the People’s Republic of China.

On 7 May 2002, at the end of a week-long holiday, the aircraft crashed into the bay near Dalian shortly after the pilot reported “fire on board”. All 103 passengers and 9 crew members died.

The disaster was described as the second air disaster involving PRC aircraft in less than a month after the Air China Flight 129 disaster on April 15.

Timeline

• 7 May 2002 (local time 2037; UTC 1237) — The MD-82 jetliner took off from Beijing.
• 7 May 2002 (local time 2120; UTC 1320) — The captain reported “fire in cabin” to Dalian tower and requested an emergency landing.
• 7 May 2002 (local time 2124; UTC 1324) — The aircraft disappeared from the radar screen and lost contact with ATC.
• 7 May 2002 (local time 2140; UTC 1340) — The flight was due to arrive Dalian.
• 7 days after the disaster (local time 1505; UTC 0705 on 14 May) — The cockpit voice recorder was picked up by the searchers from the sea.
• 14 May 2002 (local time 1705; UTC 0905) — The flight data recorder was picked up the same day.

Aircraft and crew

Aircraft Model: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 Registration: B-2138 MSN/LN: 49522/1702

Crew members

• Captain: Wang Yongxiang (王永祥 Hanyu Pinyin: Wáng Yǒngxiáng), born in 1967; 11,000 hours flight time.
• First Officer: Chen Xuming (陈旭明 Chén Xùmíng), born in 1973; 3,300 hours flight time.
• Flight Mechanic: Pan Mingqi (潘明奇 Pān Míngqí).

The engine was identified as Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217A, with a year of delivery of 1991. Flight time was given as 26,000 hours.

Passengers

Of the 103 passengers on board:

• 95 were Chinese
• 2 Japanese
• 2 Korean
• 1 Indian
• 1 from Singapore
• 1 from Hong Kong, SAR
• 1 from France

Investigation and evidence involving Zhang Pilin

Reported cause in the investigation

Results of the accident investigation were published by the Xinhua News Agency on December 8, 2002.

A passenger named Zhang Pilin (张丕林) was described as having set fire to the passenger cabin with gasoline, causing the plane to lose control and crash.

Insurance-purchase reports

Just several days after the disaster, there were reports that Zhang Pilin had purchased seven air insurance policies worth a total of 1,400,000 RMB (about 170,000 USD) prior to boarding the flight.

Some rumours reported Zhang was a terminally ill cancer patient and/or he was living with huge debt, but there was no official confirmation of these rumours.

Wreckage findings and other findings

The investigation on the wreckage showed a quantity of gasoline near the seat of Zhang, and most passengers including Zhang died of carbon monoxide inhalation.

The engine, cabin floor and other critical parts showed no signs of burning or explosion.

Further investigation showed that Zhang had flown from Dalian to Beijing and returned to Dalian on CJ6136 the same day.

According to the video monitor record, he had spent several hours smoking cigarettes in the waiting hall of Beijing airport.

Zhang purchased two insurance policies before leaving Dalian and purchased the remaining five in Beijing.

Some water bottles filled with gasoline were also found in Zhang’s apartment.

Accident report availability

No detailed accident report was described as having been provided, because it was considered a “highly sensitive” topic in China.

Eyewitness account

Eye witnesses on a nearby fishing boat reported that: “a plane with fire and smoke crashed into the sea, broken in two parts.”

Other details

The flight was identified as China Northern Airlines Flight 6136 (CBF6136, CJ6136). It crashed into the bay near Dalian shortly after the pilot reported “fire on board”. The flight was due to arrive Dalian at 2140 local time (1340 UTC).