EVA Air suspends pilot after alleged assault on first officer during taxiing at Los Angeles airport hubs
EVA Air has suspended a pilot after he allegedly punched a Malaysian first officer while taxiing at Los Angeles International Airport. The airline and Taiwan’s aviation authorities have launched investigations into the incident.
- EVA Air suspended a pilot over allegations that he assaulted a Malaysian first officer while taxiing in Los Angeles.
- The pilot was allegedly taxiing at an excessive speed and ignored repeated warnings from the first officer.
- The incident is under investigation by the airline and Taiwan’s aviation authorities.
Taiwanese airline EVA Air has suspended a pilot following allegations that he repeatedly punched a first officer while their plane was taxiing for takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport.
According to a report by Taiwan's The Reporter on 1 January, the pilot, surnamed Wen, was allegedly taxiing the aircraft at a speed that appeared to exceed the legal limit of 30 knots (55.6kph).
The first officer, a Malaysian national, reportedly attempted several times to warn Wen, but received no response.
Following standard operating procedure, the first officer then manually applied the brakes.
The action purportedly caused Wen to lose his temper, resulting in him allegedly punching the first officer at least four times.
The report did not specify the exact date of the incident, only noting that it occurred recently.
A whistleblower, speaking to The Reporter, questioned EVA Air’s handling of the incident.
They claimed that the airline did not take immediate action against Wen and allowed him to continue the flight despite his emotionally unstable state, potentially endangering passenger safety.
EVA Air’s response
In response to media reports, EVA Air issued a statement on 3 January confirming that it has launched an investigation into the matter.
The airline said Wen has been suspended from flying and will be referred to its disciplinary review board for further evaluation once investigations are complete.
EVA Air also countered some of the whistleblower’s claims. Data from the flight’s quick access recorder (QAR) indicated that the aircraft was not speeding while taxiing and was operating within regulations.
The QAR records have been submitted to the relevant regulatory agencies.
The airline further stated that it initiated an internal probe immediately after the incident and has provided Wen with support, including psychological counselling.
Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration has also opened an investigation into the incident, Taipei Times reported.
Authorities have warned that legal penalties will be imposed if any crew actions are found to have compromised flight safety.
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