The investigation into the December crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which killed 179 people, has hit a roadblock. South Korea’s transport ministry revealed that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders stopped recording about four minutes before the airliner struck a concrete embankment at Muan Airport. This has raised critical questions about the events leading up to the disaster.
The crash, now recognized as South Korea’s deadliest aviation accident, involved a plane en route from Bangkok, Thailand, to Muan in southwestern South Korea. The aircraft belly-landed, overshot the runway, and exploded into flames upon impact with the embankment.
Black Box Analysis in South Korea Plane Crash
The cockpit voice recorder was initially examined in South Korea. When gaps in the data were identified, it was sent to the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for further analysis. Similarly, the damaged flight data recorder was transported to the US for investigation in collaboration with the NTSB.
Former transport ministry accident investigator Sim Jai-dong expressed shock at the missing data, noting that such gaps are highly unusual. He suggested that all power sources, including backup systems, may have failed, which is a rare occurrence in aviation incidents.
Despite the missing information, the transport ministry stated that other available data would be used to piece together the sequence of events. “The investigation will be transparent, and information will be shared with the victims’ families,” the ministry assured.
South Korea Plane Crash: A Bird Strike and Emergency Declaration
The pilots reported a bird strike and declared an emergency approximately four minutes before the crash. This timeline aligns with the point at which the black box data ceased recording. Two injured crew members, seated in the tail section of the plane, were rescued from the wreckage, offering critical eyewitness accounts for the investigation.
Families Demand Independent Inquiry into South Korea Plane Crash
Relatives of the victims have expressed skepticism about the transport ministry leading the investigation. They are calling for independent experts, including representatives chosen by the families, to ensure an unbiased and thorough inquiry.
The embankment that the plane struck has become a focal point of the investigation. The structure, which supports the airport’s “localiser” system used for assisting aircraft landings, was built with rigid material and positioned close to the runway’s end. Critics are questioning why such a hazardous design was allowed near the runway, potentially exacerbating the crash’s impact.
