The body of the passenger jet, an Airbus 350, was made of carbon-composite fibers. The crash may become an important test of the safety of composite materials for some uses in aircraft. The larger Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger jet was given permission to use the runway where the coast guard plane, a Bombardier Dash-8, was preparing for takeoff. The FAA has said for more than 20 years that there are dangers related to composite materials. Although the inside of the passenger plane filled with smoke after the explosion, all 379 passengers were able to escape.
