Date:	Thursday 22 June 2000
Time:	14:51
Type:	Xian Yunshuji Y-7-100C
Owner/operator:	Wuhan Airlines
Registration:	B-3479
MSN:	06708
Year of manufacture:	1988
Total airframe hrs:	13900 hours
Cycles:	11800 flights
Engine model:	Harbin WJ-5A-1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 42 / Occupants: 42
Other fatalities:	7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	ca 25 km from Wuhan -   China
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Enshi Airport (ENH/ZHES)
Destination airport:	Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH/ZHHH)
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
Wuhan Airlines flight 343 departed Enshi for a flight to Wuhan. The aircraft entered an area of poor weather; rain and thunderstorm with associated windshear. The crew reportedly circled Wuhan for about 30 minutes to wait for the storm to pass. Wuhan's weather bureau recorded 451 thunderclaps in a 10-minute period as the plane circled. During the approach the first officer proposed to land at an alternate airport, but the captain decided to continue to Wuhan.
The plane was caught by windshear and crashed near Sitai Village, Yongfeng Township. Half of the plane plunged into a farmhouse and the other half came to rest on a dike of the Han River. Sitai is located about 20 to 30 kilometers (12 to 18 miles) from Wuhan. Seven workers who were installing generators on a vessel were killed when the plane hit.
The Yun-7 airliner had recorded 13,811 safe flight hours and completed 11,724 takeoffs and landings by the end of May, finishing two-thirds of its lifespan.

China Central Television
China Daily
ICAO Adrep Summary 3/2001 (#40)
Xinhua

Date/time	Contributor	Updates