[1][4] The captain, Chen Huaiyao, was an experienced Chinese Air Force Trident pilot who had joined the Guangzhou General Administration of Civil Aviation of China in 1982.

[6] A Hong Kong Observatory spokesman said at the time that the Guangzhou-Guilin area had been affected by severe weather since 25 April.

[7] Source: Guilin Evening News,[2] Aviation Safety Network[5] The Chinese government sent nearly 1,000 troops of the People's Liberation Army to the crash site to search for survivors.

[2][7] The likely reason for the crash was poor crew resource management, as well as inadequate and erroneous communication from air traffic control.

The captain had no experience in flying the Guilin route, and the area is noted for limestone cliffs that make landing hazardous.

[2] After the air crash, more than 40 victims were buried in a tomb located in section 022 of the Shenzhen Dapeng Bay Overseas Chinese Cemetery.