The Jeju Air crash that occurred on December 29 has shocked South Korea, not only due to the significant loss of life but also because of the complex and somewhat mysterious circumstances surrounding the incident. This crash, which resulted in 179 fatalities, stands as the deadliest aviation disaster on South Korean soil, prompting an exhaustive and ongoing investigation into the events leading up to the catastrophe.
The latest development, as confirmed by the South Korean transport ministry, reveals that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders — commonly known as "black boxes" — ceased recording roughly four minutes before the plane collided with a concrete embankment at Muan Airport. These black boxes are essential tools for understanding the sequence of events during a crash and typically provide critical insights into the factors that contributed to the disaster. The unexplained stop in recording has raised more questions than answers, and the ministry has announced plans to carefully examine why this occurred. This is particularly concerning as it suggests a complete shutdown of the recording systems, which, according to experts, is an extremely rare event. Investigators are currently looking into all possibilities, including the possibility of power failure or other technical malfunctions.
In a bid to understand more, the damaged flight data recorder was transported to the United States for further analysis by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). This marks a significant step in the investigation, as the NTSB has the expertise and resources to conduct a detailed forensic examination of the data. Similarly, the voice recorder, which was initially analyzed by South Korean authorities, was found to have missing data and thus sent to the United States for additional scrutiny. These black boxes are expected to provide invaluable clues about the final moments of the flight and help piece together the sequence of decisions and events that led to the tragedy.
The flight, Jeju Air 7C2216, had departed from Bangkok and was en route to Muan Airport in southwestern South Korea. In the crucial moments before the crash, the pilots reported a bird strike to air traffic control and declared an emergency approximately four minutes before the crash occurred. Just two minutes before this declaration, air traffic control had issued a warning about the bird activity in the area. Despite the emergency declaration, the aircraft initially attempted to go around, a standard maneuver used when a landing attempt is aborted. However, something went wrong during this attempt. Rather than completing a full go-around, the aircraft made a sharp turn and approached the runway from the opposite direction, which ultimately resulted in a crash-landing without the landing gear deployed.
The plane belly-landed and continued to overshoot the runway, eventually crashing into an embankment near the airport, where it exploded into flames. The severity of the crash was compounded by the lack of landing gear, a crucial component for a safe landing. Miraculously, two crew members seated in the tail section of the plane survived, though they were injured. Unfortunately, the rest of the passengers and crew were not so fortunate, and the incident remains a heart-wrenching tragedy for the families involved.
One of the major areas of focus in the investigation is the embankment that the aircraft crashed into. The embankment was designed to support the localiser system, a critical component of the airport's landing aid systems. However, experts have questioned why such a rigid and potentially dangerous structure was positioned so close to the runway, given the crucial role it played in the aftermath of the crash. The proximity of this embankment to the runway's end is a key concern, and the investigation will seek to understand how and why this decision was made and whether it played a role in exacerbating the impact of the crash.
Sim Jai-dong, a former investigator for South Korea's transport ministry, expressed surprise that the black boxes had stopped recording, indicating that power may have been cut off completely, which would be a highly unusual and concerning scenario. This discovery has led experts to suspect that the loss of power might have contributed to the chaos during the final moments of the flight, preventing the cockpit crew from being able to fully control the situation.
As the investigation continues, the South Korean transport ministry has reiterated its commitment to ensuring a thorough and transparent process. The ministry has promised to share any findings with the families of the victims, who have been left grappling with the aftermath of this devastating event. However, some families of the victims have expressed concerns about the transport ministry leading the investigation alone. They have called for the inclusion of independent experts, many of whom have been recommended by the families themselves, to ensure that the investigation is impartial and thorough.
In addition to the black box data and the investigation of the embankment, there is also a focus on the decision-making process of the flight crew. Why did the pilots attempt a sharp turn rather than a full go-around? What other factors may have contributed to their decision-making in the heat of the moment? These are critical questions that need to be answered to prevent future accidents of a similar nature.
As the investigation unfolds, the international collaboration with the NTSB and the involvement of independent experts will hopefully lead to a clearer understanding of the factors that led to this tragic crash. The findings of this investigation could have significant implications for aviation safety standards, particularly regarding the construction and design of runways and embankments, as well as the procedures followed by flight crews during emergency situations.
For now, the focus remains on uncovering the truth behind the crash and providing the families of the victims with the answers they deserve. The missing data from the flight recorders and the concerns over the embankment will undoubtedly remain central to the investigation in the days to come. The final report will likely play a crucial role in shaping future safety measures in South Korea and around the world, as the aviation industry learns from this tragic event.
