China Airlines Flight 605, a Boeing 747-400, was landing at the notoriously challenging Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong, known for its mountainous terrain and short runways. The aircraft was arriving from Taipei with 278 passengers and crew members on board. As the flight approached for landing, it faced adverse weather conditions including gusty winds and rain, which complicated its landing trajectory. The pilots executed their approach according to protocol but found themselves unable to stop on the limited runway length. As a result, the aircraft overran the runway and came to a halt on a nearby sea wall, fortunately without any injuries or fatalities reported among those on board.

Emergency response teams quickly arrived at the scene to evacuate the passengers and crew safely. Despite the potentially dangerous situation, everyone managed to escape without serious injury. Investigations would later reveal that the pilots' decision-making processes and the challenging landing conditions played significant roles in the incident. This event raised awareness about the complexities of landing at airports like Kai Tak, which has since been closed and replaced by Hong Kong International Airport, where the facilities are designed to handle larger aircraft and adverse weather conditions more safely.