EVA Air has suspended a captain following allegations of a physical confrontation with a first officer during taxi operations at Los Angeles International Airport earlier this month. The incident reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over taxi speed while operating a Boeing 777 en route to Taipei.
According to Taiwanese media, the first officer warned that the aircraft appeared to be taxiing too fast and applied the brakes after the captain failed to adjust the speed. This reportedly escalated into a heated exchange, during which the captain allegedly struck the first officer, who later reported swelling and bruising.
EVA Air confirmed the captain has been removed from flight duties pending a full internal investigation. The airline also submitted Quick Access Recorder (QAR) data to authorities, stating taxi speeds were within operational limits, and arranged psychological support for the crew involved.
Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration has launched a parallel investigation to determine whether safety or procedural standards were breached. The case has renewed industry focus on Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles, which emphasize communication and professionalism in the cockpit.
Sources:
– EVA Air captain suspended after alleged cockpit altercation at LAX [The Reporter]
– EVA Air suspends pilot after alleged in-flight dispute [Focus Taiwan (CNA)]
– EVA Air investigates cockpit altercation on US-bound flight [Taipei Times]
– EVA Air captain suspended after cockpit fight allegation [One Mile at a Time]
