Wind shear is a powerful thing.
On March 23, aircraft started landing at Narita at 6 a.m. Winds up to 72 kph were blowing mainly from the northwest. Before the accident, 12 aircraft had landed safely under these conditions, including a Japan Airlines jumbo jet and a Nippon Cargo Airlines jumbo jet (which landed 10 minutes and four minutes, respectively, before the accident). Crews aboard 10 of the 12 aircraft reported to the control tower that there was wind shear — sudden changes in wind speed and direction — along the descent route. The pilot of the JAL jumbo jet reported wind shear at or below an altitude of 600 meters.
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