Editorial illustration: the opening artwork is AI-generated and is not a photograph of the actual 2015 flight.
On February 4, 2015, TransAsia Airways Flight GE235 took off from Taipei Songshan Airport bound for Kinmen. Minutes later, the ATR 72-600 struck an elevated roadway and crashed into the Keelung River. The disaster killed 43 of the 58 people aboard, while 15 survived.
The investigation revealed a devastating sequence: the right propeller feathered unexpectedly, but the crew reduced power and ultimately shut down the operating left engine. This was not simply a case of both engines failing on their own.
Watch the full documentary on YouTube: The Engine They Shut Down | TransAsia Flight 235.
What happened to TransAsia Flight GE235?
The aircraft, registered B-22816, was a twin-engine ATR 72-600. There were 53 passengers and five crew members aboard, including an observer in the cockpit. The flight encountered serious trouble shortly after takeoff, while still at low altitude over densely populated Taipei.
A twin-engine aircraft is designed to retain a measure of performance when one engine fails, provided the crew correctly identifies the affected side and follows the appropriate checklist. The distinction between the right and left engines became the decisive issue in this accident.
The right propeller feathered unexpectedly
Taiwan's final investigation described an uncommanded feathering of the number-two, right-side propeller. Feathering changes the angle of propeller blades to minimize aerodynamic drag. In the wrong circumstances, it also creates a serious abnormal situation that requires prompt and accurate diagnosis.
The investigation identified a possible intermittent electrical discontinuity involving the auto-feather system. The important detail is what happened next: the other engine, on the left side, was still the operating source of power that the crew needed.
Why the working left engine was shut down
Instead of correctly handling the number-two propeller event using the published abnormal and emergency procedures, the flight crew misidentified the engine condition. Power on the number-one, left engine was reduced; that engine was subsequently shut down.
The pilots later attempted to restart the left engine. But the aircraft was already in a critically low-energy state close to the ground. With inadequate airspeed and insufficient height, recovery became extremely difficult.
The final approach to the Keelung River
The airplane rolled sharply toward an elevated road. Its left wingtip struck a taxi, injuring people in the vehicle, before the aircraft struck the river. Rescue teams, boats, emergency responders and recovery crews descended on the site.
Widely circulated dashcam images captured the aircraft's dramatic descent. Those images are valuable historical records, but they cannot independently establish which engine was operating or which actions were taken in the cockpit. For that, investigators relied on flight recorders, system evidence, crew records and documented procedures.
What the accident investigation concluded
The final report by Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council, published in June 2016, identified a chain of failures rather than one isolated cause. Technical circumstances, crew responses, training, operational oversight and checklist discipline all formed part of the investigation.
The case became a stark demonstration of why engine identification, crew coordination and recurrent emergency training are essential, especially immediately after takeoff. What mattered was not merely the initial system malfunction, but the decisions that followed it.
What makes the Flight 235 story important today?
The fundamental aviation lesson is that procedures are designed to protect crews from acting on an assumption before checking the evidence. Low altitude leaves very little margin for an incorrect engine shutdown. Modern flight training treats these human factors as core safety issues, not as a footnote to mechanical faults.
Our documentary combines investigative narration, diagrams and appropriately attributed historical news footage. Some illustrative shots are not footage of the aircraft in flight and should not be interpreted as such.
Frequently asked questions
When did TransAsia Flight 235 crash?
The accident occurred on February 4, 2015, shortly after departure from Taipei Songshan Airport.
How many people survived?
Fifteen of the 58 people aboard survived. Forty-three people on the aircraft died.
Did both engines fail?
The final investigation did not describe the event as an unavoidable simultaneous failure of both engines. The right propeller feathered unexpectedly, and the crew subsequently shut down the working left engine.
Where did the aircraft crash?
The aircraft struck the Keelung River in Taipei, Taiwan, after clipping an elevated roadway.
Watch the 56-second preview
The short version introduces the investigation: TransAsia Flight 235 | 56-second YouTube Short. For the full evidence and context, watch the documentary embedded near the beginning of this article.
Sources and further reading
- Taiwan Transportation Safety Board: Flight GE235 accident report material
- Taiwan aviation safety investigation records
- Fact Book: The Engine They Shut Down (documentary)
Historical news footage and contextual media in the companion video may have separate rights and attribution conditions. The cover image is a conceptual reconstruction, not archival evidence.
