"If it is proved that pilot error had caused the air disaster, the three pilots would face manslaughter charges," said Mr Song Kuo-yeh, a prosecutor from Taoyuan county who is leading the investigation into the causes of the crash.

The plane's pilot, Captain Foong Chee Kong, and co-pilots Latiff Cyrano and Ng Kheng Leng, who all survived the crash, could face up to five years in jail, Mr Song said.

They have been barred from leaving Taiwan, he said.

"If the crime occurred in Taiwan, the Taiwanese authorities have jurisdiction over this case," he added.

Investigators said the ill-fated jumbo jet took off from a closed runway in a typhoon and slammed into construction equipment before crashing in flames, killing 81 people.

The Los Angeles-bound Boeing 747 was carrying 159 passengers and 20 crew when it crashed late Oct 31 as Typhoon Xangsane lashed the island.

Investigators said on Nov 3 that the pilot correctly acknowledged his take-off clearance from the control tower but went ahead and used the wrong runway. The closed runway, number 05R, runs parallel to the one the plane should have used, 05L.

The chief executive officer of Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council, Dr Yong Kay, said the captain was told to use runway 05L and correctly read back his instructions. He had also been informed that the 05R runway was closed and under repair.

SIA said Nov 3 it accepted the finding and would take full responsibility for the disaster.