[1] On June 6, 1994, the aircraft operating the flight, a Tupolev Tu-154M, broke up in-flight and crashed as a result of an autopilot malfunction which caused violent shaking and overstressed the airframe.

In July 1988, due to reorganization, CAAC transferred the aircraft to China Northwest Airlines.

[6] The flight crew consisted of captain Li Gangqiang, instructor captain Xin Tiancai, first officer Yang Min, navigator Zhang Nanjing, and flight engineer Kang Youfa.

Twenty-four seconds after take-off, the crew reported that the aircraft was "floating" and making an abnormal sound, but were still able to maintain a speed of 400 km/h (220 kn; 250 mph).

At 8:17:06, while over Mingdu Township, Chang'an County, Shaanxi, the aircraft became unable to maintain its assigned altitude.

After takeoff, the faulty damper immediately caused the plane to experience violent roll oscillations, overstressing the airframe beyond its structural limits.