767 sabotage by trainee mechanic in Hong Kong

[Hong Kong Dave]

It’s reported in the Hong Kong Standard & South China Morning Post that a trainee aircraft mechanic sabotaged a 767 to get back at his boss who reprimanded him for shoddy work.

Here is the link to The Standard -


Boeing jet damaged in trainee revenge - The Standard (http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=148783&sid=42867228&con_type=1&d_str=20140826&fc=1)


Boeing jet damaged in trainee revenge

Hilary Wong
Tuesday, August 26, 2014

A Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company trainee damaged 14 core electronic circuits of a Boeing 767 aircraft to exact revenge against his boss.
Tang Wing-hon, 19, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on September 15 at District Court, pending training center and psychological reports.
Tang pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of "damaging property and recklessly endangering life."
The prosecution said the damaged circuits did not seriously affect the aircraft, which could fly after being repaired.
The cost of thoroughly checking the aircraft and repairing the 14 circuits amounted to HK$86,000.
The prosecution quoted aircraft experts as saying that although the autopilot system and satellite communication channel would be affected, the aircraft could still fly using manual controls and other means.
Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che said damaging an aircraft is a serious criminal act.
He requested the prosecution to ask experts before sentencing for the worst-case scenario arising from damaged electronic circuits.
The defense said Tang was feeling guilty about the damage he had caused.
Tang, who worked in June when he was on bail, will give the HK$15,000 he earned during that time to the company.
The damage was discovered during a routine check of the aircraft.
Tang, who was part of the maintenance team, said he wanted to cause trouble for his boss who had sworn at him.

[TOWTEAMBASE]

Make him repair it before sending him down !!!

[Waterworld]

No, no - don't let him touch it or any other aircraft ever again.

[peterhr]

Don't let him maintain any passenger vehicle again unless the 'engine' that powers it has four legs

[cockney steve]

Now, there's a good bit of logical thinking :mad: boss has complained about my bad work, so i'll do something really bad* Anyone with such poor reasoning skills is unlikely to make a decent engineer.

Tang, who worked in June when he was on bail, will give the HK$15,000 he earned during that time to the company.
Only another 5 months' restitutional work, then, and he'll have repaid the cost of his immature tantrum....of course, his efforts will need constant supervision, so better make that a year.

The nice thing about the arrangement , he still pays all his taxes and dues,-the repayments come from his NETT income.
Perhaps he's been reminded that Chairman Mao would have had him shot.

[Roadster280]

Let's get Chairman Mao back then :E

(Yes, I know he's long gone, but it's the thought that counts).

[de facto]

You mean thought of stupidity?

[Capn Bloggs]

Typical gen Y/Z.

[KrispyKreme]

Excuse me Capn Bloggs, dont put all gen y/z in the same boat. I am sure your generation had its fair share of bad apples as well.

[WingNut60]

Can't help but wonder what sort of connections you need to have to retain your job as a trainee after deliberately damaging a commercial (or any other type of) aircraft.
Though it does say "he worked", not that he "continued to work".

I would be interested to know whether any action was taken (on the side) against the supervisor who had the audacity to insult the child. :oh:


But then, this is a culture where saving face ranks above ANY other consideration.

[Chu Chu]

Under U.S. law, if someone "sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks . . . any civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce," and death results, the death penalty applies.

That's a long way from the Mao approach of course, but there are certainly similarities.

[ZeBedie]

I suspect that this trainee had been treated very badly indeed to be pushed into such a stupid, self-destructive and reckless course of action. I'd want to have a long hard to talk to his manager, if it was my airline.

[Old Fella]

How long would it take to ask "Why didn't you shoot him"? Seriously, I suspect the young man had been told a few home truths and did not handle it. HAECo are, or at least were in my experience, pretty good operators and presented a good product. Hopefully his aircraft engineering career has been terminated.

[Euclideanplane]

The rulers of Hong Kong up until 1997 were Margaret Thatcher and John Major, not Mao :confused:

[Load Toad]

...and whats that got to do with anything?

[320busboy]

were good.. yes I agree with that.

[FERetd]

Old Fella Quote " HAECO are, or at least were in my experience, pretty good operators and presented a good product"

As you have mentioned in previous posts, you left Hong Kong around 1992/3 (I can't go back through all the posts to get the exact date).

Both the Cathay and the HAECO, with which you were familiar and which indeed offered a good product, have changed and are no longer the same companies of which you speak so highly.

Around the time that you departed CX the hatchet was taken to HAECO and many experienced personnel "left" the company. The man responsible was the same one involved in the 49er debacle.

[Old Fella]

FERetd. I am disappointed to read your post. Obviously I have not had anything to do with CX or HAECO, since 1991 in fact, and just as I am disappointed to read the posts of those still with CX regarding their current feelings about CX I am sorry to hear about the present day HAECO.

My recollections are all positive in regard to both CX and HAECO. If all I read is indeed the case, and not simply some expressing a lopsided view, it is a sad reflection on both outfits.

I hope you are as happy in your retirement as I am in mine mate.

Cheers

[Hugo Peroni the IV]

Hey Old Fella,

great that you saw the good times but you are not seeing a lopsided view at all. From very much a glass half full sort of guy, we fly good airplanes generally surrounded by good people to reasonable destinations. Thats the good bit and day to day, the job is still pretty rewarding.

But over all of that is an umbrella of mismanagement and disrespect that leaves moral at the worst i have ever seen it since 2001. We all do our job safely, coz that is what we do, but no-one really cares anymore! This is a very different work-place my friend!

[Old Fella]

Hugo, I can accept that things are different now, they are different in most airlines and, in fact, in nearly every aspect of life. I would be surprised if "no-one" really cares. Poor management and disrespect for the workforce is certainly going to reduce the level of morale, but management won't ever admit to it. My background was military and many times I read "morale is being maintained at a high level" when the reality was very different.

Most people with whom I have worked in aviation really do care, their own pride in their ability means that they care. I hope that those with the power to do so take the steps necessary to restore the loyalty and pride that has been eroded.

Good luck for the future.

[FERetd]

Hello Old Fella,
Yes I am enjoying retirement thank you.

We were both fortunate to have enjoyed the best days at CX, although after my first 10 years things went downhill quite rapidly. After the next 10 years I was earning around 65% of what I was earning beforehand. But if you need a job, what can you do?

Your summary in "Nobody cares" is fair comment on today's state of play.

I do hope that for those at CX now, things will change, but I fear that they will not. Very sad!

[HotDog]

I seem to recall a similar incident in the 60s, where a young Qantas LAME sabotaged a 707 and tried to earn some brownie points by "discovering" the cause of the problem. Apparently he was refused an out station transfer that he desired. Needless to say he didn't get it but lost his job as well together with a conviction for criminal damage.