Description

On 25 January 2002, in normal ground visibility at night, an Airbus A340-300 being operated by China Airlines and departing Anchorage, Alaska on a passenger flight to Taipei successfully took-off from a parallel taxiway, adjacent to the authorised departure runway, which was of less length than the calculated airplane take-off distance required. As a consequence of the taxiway departure the aircraft contacted a snow bank with the main landing gear at the end of the taxiway. However, the aircraft became airborne and then completed its flight without further incident.

Synopsis

The following is an extract from the official Report (ANC02IA0114) into the Serious Incident investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (USA) (NTSB):