The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB DCA20WA051 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Boeing 737 accident near Fukuoka, Jp, January 12, 2020

On January 12, 2020 at about 1:17 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered HL8243, was involved in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Fukuoka. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 1 person was seriously injured; 173 others were unhurt.

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
January 12, 2020 · about 1:17 pm local time
Place
Fukuoka, Japan
Type
Accident
Injuries
1 person was seriously injured; 173 others were unhurt.
Weather
not recorded
Aircraft
Boeing 737 8Q8 · all 737s on the register
Registration
HL8243 · no longer on the register
Damage
Not recorded
Flight
Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules

The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record

The government of Japan has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a BOEING 737 airplane that occurred on January 12, 2020. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Japan's investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13.All investigative information will be released by the government of Japan.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.

The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

What happened, in order

  1. Turbulence encounter during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event

The aircraft

  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Operator: Jin Air

Weather at the time

  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Cabi14
Flight crew2
Passengers167

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.

Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.