Hong Kong Releases Interim Findings on Fatal Cargo Plane Excursion: No. 4 Engine Thrust Lever Moved Forward, No Mechanical Fault Found So Far
Hong Kong's Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) on October 13 issued an interim statement on the October 20, 2025 runway excursion involving a Boeing 747-481BDSF freighter (registration TC-ACF) operated by Turkey-based ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates SkyCargo. The aircraft, arriving from Dubai in the early hours, veered left during its landing roll at Hong Kong International Airport, departed the runway and plunged into the sea after striking an airport security patrol vehicle parked outside the runway area, killing the two security staff members on board.
The investigation team said the main investigation work has been completed, including recovery of the wreckage; collection of data and records from the airline, meteorological services, air traffic control and the airport; interviews with the flight crew; and collection of flight documents, flight data and cockpit voice recordings. Aircraft components were sent to the country of manufacture for examination, and investigators travelled overseas to oversee key inspections.
According to the interim statement, the investigation found that the No. 4 engine thrust lever of the freighter moved forward, causing the aircraft to veer left during the landing roll and depart the runway. Technical examinations of the relevant components conducted so far have found no mechanical fault related to the accident.
The investigation is continuing. One focus is determining, through expert acoustic analysis, whether the thrust lever movement was mechanically driven or caused by an external force. The team will also conduct flight simulation trials to reconstruct the excursion and review the accident history of the same aircraft type. A preliminary report was published on November 18, 2025, and the authority aims to complete all investigation work by the end of 2026, with the final report to be released after the investigation and statutory review procedures are completed. The Transport and Logistics Bureau said it attached great importance to the interim statement and had asked the AAIA to press ahead in a rigorous and professional manner. As the aircraft was registered in Turkey, the bureau has maintained close communication with the Turkish Consulate-General in Hong Kong on follow-up and investigation coordination, and the Turkish side has been fully cooperating. An AAIA spokesperson said the investigation involves complex technical processes requiring verification with multiple parties; the authority conducts investigations under the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations and International Civil Aviation Organization standards, with the aim of identifying causes, examining human factors and making safety recommendations.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 一架阿联酋航空货运波音货机飞临香港上空（资料图片，非涉事飞机）。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，N509FZ 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0 授权
