JAL Boeing 767 encounters turbulence near Seoul.

On September 12th around 1730 KST (no time difference with JST), Japan Airlines' (JL/JAL) flight JL093, service from Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT) to Seoul/Gimpo (GMP/RKSS), encountered sudden rough air as it was descending to its destination. Although no injuries were reported among the passengers, seven flight attendants sustained minor injuries.

Sistership Boeing 767-346/ER JA613J awaits its next assignment at Haneda. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

The aircraft involved was Boeing 767-346/ER JA654J, which had departed Haneda at 1535 JST with a load of 218 passengers, including three children, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots. As the 767 was descending to Gimpo, at 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) it experienced what was likely caused by wake turbulence approximately 25 minutes prior to landing, about 95 kilometers southeast of Seoul's airport near downtown. The aircraft landed safely at 1759, four minutes behind schedule.

Of the seven injured cabin crew, one was diagnosed of neck and back sprain which required two weeks of rest and treatment. The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) designates any event that results in injuries requiring treatment for over 48 hours an aviation accident, so this case fell under that category. However, South Korea, which has the authority to investigate the matter as it happened in Korean airspace, is not considering this an accident. 

Reference: Aviation Wire, September 17th. (in Japanese)

More older Boeings retired from ANA and JAL.

All Nippon Airways' (NH/ANA) Boeing 767-381 JA8289 was ferried to the U.S.A. for part out. The aircraft departed Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT) on March 14th at 2321 as flight NH9432, arriving at Anchorage (ANC/PANC) at 1017, local time. It departed the following day on March 15th at 0319 and arrived at Tucson (TUS/KTUS) at 0913. It was delivered new to ANA back on September 18th, 1989.

Boeing 767-381 JA8289 taxiing at Naha in November 2013. (Photo: Ryosuke Yano)

ANA also retired B747-481/D JA8960 after deploying it on flight NH136 Naha/Okinawa (OKA/ROAH) - Haneda on March 14th. It will undergo final maintenance checks before being ferried to Tupelo (TUP/KTUP) in Mississippi, U.S.A. to be dismantled by Universal Asset Management. JA8960 was delivered on May 11th, 1993. This leaves ANA with one final B747 operating: JA8961. The 'Jumbo Jet' will see its last day of operations with ANA on March 31st.

Boeing 747-481/D JA8960 making the type's last visit to Hakodate on October 27th, 2013. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Meanwhile, Japan Airlines (JL/JAL) retired Boeing 767-346 JA8264, after operating flight JL090 from Seoul/Gimpo (GMP/RKSS) to Tokyo/Haneda (HND/RJTT). This is the last of the original 232-seat (30 business, 202 economy) B767s which were deployed on both domestic and regional international routes (mostly to South Korea). Delivered to JAL back on September 21st, 1987, this aircraft which spent its entire 26 years with the JAL will now be exported to Thailand, probably to Orient Thai Airlines (OX/OXO). This standardizes JAL's domestic B767s to a single configuration seating 261 (42 Class J business, 219 economy).

232-seat sister Boeing 767-346 JA8266 seen at Aomori in June 2013. It was retired three months later. (Photo: Aviation Wire)

Later this month, JAL will also retire its first B777-246, JA8981, which will become the first 'Triple-Seven' to be phased out from Japan.