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Contact photographer Sung-Yang Tong
What: Dapeng Airlines Britten-Norman BN-2B-26 Islander en route from Taipei to Taitung
Where: Missing en route
When: August 30, 2012
Who: 3 aboard
Why: After departing from Songshan Airport at 7:25, the plane with two pilots and a photographer (pilot Hsuey Chen-hao, co-pilot Chang Ming-chin and aerial photographer Chien Yu-hsin) was on an aerial photography flight conducting a survey. At 7:44 a.m., the pilot requested permission to switch from instrumental to visual flight. After 9:14 a.m there was no more contact with the plane, although it is supposed to check in every 15 minutes.
Around 10:15, the National Rescue Command Center informed ATC that an ELT signal had been detected. At the time, visibility was up to 10 kilometers.
A rescue chopper spotted the wreckage in the mountains at 1600 meters. Weather conditions forced the chopper to return.
The 20 year old plane had an airworthiness certificate renewed last month.
