 "A plane went off the runaway at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Korea, and caught fire on Sunday. Reuters")
Aviation experts on Sunday (December 29) raised doubts about initial suggestions that a bird strike caused Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 to crash in South Korea, marking the country’s deadliest aviation disaster.
The twin-engine Boeing 737-800 crash-landed at Muan International Airport on Saturday (December 28), skidding down the runway without visible landing gear before slamming into a wall in a fiery explosion. Almost all of the 181 people on board were killed.
South Korean officials said they are investigating the cause of the crash, including the possibility of a bird strike. However, experts expressed skepticism, citing several unanswered questions.
“Why didn’t fire tenders lay foam on the runway? Why weren’t they in attendance when the plane touched down? And why did the aircraft touch down so far down the runway? And why was there a brick wall at the end of the runway?” asked Geoffrey Thomas, editor of Airline News.
The flight data recorder was recovered at 11:30 am Sunday, followed by the cockpit voice recorder at 2:24 pm, according to South Korea’s transport ministry.
Thomas pointed out that these recorders are critical. “The heartbeat of the airplane is on the flight data recorder…The voice recorder will probably provide the most interesting analysis of what went on on this tragic crash.” Thomas said.
Officials confirmed that pilots declared a mayday after receiving a bird strike warning, but it remains unclear if the aircraft struck any birds.
Experts said it seemed unlikely a bird strike would have caused the landing gear to malfunction.
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More Shorts“A bird strike is not unusual, problems with an undercarriage are not unusual. Bird strikes happen far more often, but typically they don’t cause the loss of an airplane by themselves,” Thomas said.
Australian airline safety expert Geoffrey Dell echoed this sentiment, saying, “I’ve never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from being extended.”
Aviation consultant Trevor Jensen said fire and emergency services are typically prepared for belly landings, raising questions about why this incident appeared unplanned.
In the event of a belly landing, pilots usually minimise fuel, land at the farthest end of the runway, and rely on fire crews to provide foam coverage, Thomas said.
The plane’s failure to decelerate after hitting the runway also puzzled experts.
South Korean authorities have pledged a thorough investigation to determine the crash’s cause.
With inputs from agencies