Japan blocks 3 planes made by Canada's Bombardier

TOKYO, Sep 12 (Reuters) Japan's transport ministry today said it told an airline to suspend flights of three aircraft made by Canada's Bombardier Inc., following two crashes involving the same model.

The three DHC-8-400 aircraft with a record of more than 10,000 landings are owned by Japan Air Commuter Co Ltd, a group company of Japan Airlines Corp They are the same model as planes which crash landed in Lithuania today and in Denmark on Sunday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Japan said.

A ministry official said Japan Air Commuter owns 10 aircraft of the same model. Only three of them have chalked up more than 10,000 landings. All Nippon Airways' groups have 14 aircraft of the same model. All 24 aircraft operate within Japan.

The government's order came after Bombardier, the world's third-largest maker of civilian aircraft, recommended suspension of the flights to Japan Air Commuter, the official said.

REUTERS SG HT1530