Passenger spots skin crack on aircraft; China Airlines flight grounded

Travel Center / Taipei Report

Did China Airlines skip pre-flight checks? Last Thursday, China Airlines Flight CI502 was preparing to take off from Shanghai to Taoyuan. Just as the air bridge had been retracted and the plane was about to depart, an eagle-eyed passenger noticed an “M”-shaped crack above the engine. The captain assessed that the skin of the engine inlet cowl had been damaged. The flight was grounded immediately and a replacement aircraft was dispatched. However, passengers still experienced a delay of nearly 10 hours, sparking complaints.


▲ A China Airlines Boeing 747-400 aircraft showed signs of skin damage. (Photo / Provided by Eastern TV News)

China Airlines Flight CI502 was originally scheduled to return from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Taoyuan Airport around noon on Thursday. Unexpectedly, just before takeoff, a passenger looking out of the cabin spotted a clear “M”-shaped crack above one of the wings’ engines. After urgently notifying the flight attendants, the captain determined that the inlet cowl skin had likely been compromised and decided to ground the flight. Passengers did not board again until 8 p.m. that evening, and the plane arrived back at Taoyuan Airport at 10:40 p.m., resulting in a delay of nearly 8 hours.

The damaged area on the China Airlines CI502 was located above the engine. At high altitude and high speed, the damage could potentially worsen in size and severity due to flight conditions. If the engine itself were damaged, the impact on flight power could be severe and hard to imagine. The aircraft skin is the outermost protective layer, primarily designed to reduce drag on the engine and ensure smoother flight. Liao Ling-hui, chairperson of the China Airlines Tourism Development Association, stated that damaged skin can lead to increased flight resistance, turbulence, and other serious aviation safety issues.


▲ The issue of the damaged skin on this China Airlines aircraft is currently under investigation with Boeing. (Photo / Provided by Eastern TV News)

China Airlines’ Public Relations Office issued a statement apologizing for the delay to passengers’ itineraries. They also noted that the exact cause of the skin crack is currently under investigation with Boeing, and more preventive measures will be studied in the future.