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Old 20th Dec 2014, 07:34
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WYOMINGPILOT
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
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It is quite common in many countries especially in Asia if you are a pilot and found guilty of blatant pilot error then you can be prosecuted. Remember the Korean Airlines 777 Captains who initially did not want to return to Korea as they were afraid they would be punished and jailed? The Canadians also have several examples of committing extreme pilot error and being prosecuted. The practice is quite common in Asian countries as it is part of the "punishment culture" and Asian face saving gesture to blame someone. I can also think of at least one example where a US pilot was jailed for his actions with his personal DC-3 aircraft. You have to research the facts of this Chinese case and most will conclude the sentence was justified. The pilot had fake licenses and had lied about his training and flight hours in the military in order to receive a commercial pilot license. He had very few hours and mostly in helicopters yet claimed he had over 500 hours of fixed wing time. The pilots continued a non-precision approach below minimums until they collided with the ground 650 meters short of the runway in dense fog. The Captain admitted they were trying to land at all costs as they had a VIP passenger onboard. The Chinese punished the entire airline as it now no longer exists and the CEO and VP were immediately dismissed. Pilot unions and labor contracts can help avoid prosecution and jail time but in the end blatant pilot error can land the pilot in jail in Asian countries. This could apply equally well to any pilot from ANY country while flying in China whether you are from a foreign country or not if the action is completed while in China.
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