Bombardier CRJ200, Inner MongolIa, China, Nov. 21, 2004–Only 12 seconds after taking off from Baotou en route to Shanghai, the CRJ operated by China Eastern Airlines as Flight Mu5210 crashed into an ice-covered lake in the Nanhai Park, killing the six crewmembers, 47 passengers and apparently two park workers on the ground. Witnesses heard an explosion and saw the airplane shake violently, black smoke billowing from its tail, before it crashed in flames.
Teams from Beijing investigating the accident included the head of the State Work Safety Administration and the deputy head of China’s Administration of Civil Aviation, a group from the airline’s Yunnan branch and one from Bombardier. Investigators ruled out the possibility of sabotage, saying there is no evidence so far suggesting man-made destruction in the incident, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
All China Eastern CRJ200s were grounded for inspection.