Jeju Air Crash: Pilots shut down the wrong engine; Investigation finds clear evidence

The South Korean investigators have found clear evidence that the Jeju Air Plane pilots that crashed in December shut down the wrong engine after a bird strike, a source acquainted with the investigation on Monday. The investigation led by South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) has found that the left engine, which was less damaged, was discontinued rather than the correct engine, which was more severely affected by the bird strike. The source told Reuters that a physical engine switch recovered from the cockpit voice recording, computer data and debris supports the conclusion. The source said, “The investigation team has clear evidence and backup data, so its discovery will not change,” the source said, the official report speaking anonymous has not been released yet. The Boeing 737–800 aircraft crashed at Mun Airport on 29 December 2023, operating a flight from Bangkok. Only two of the 181 people survived the board, making it the deadliest aerial disaster on South Korean soil. According to a government source, an examination of the recovered engines confirmed that there was no fault before the bird’s strike and the accident. Investigators on Saturday allegedly shared these findings with families of the victims during a private briefing. A third source, which was present in the meeting, stated that the families were told that the correct engine had suffered more, but left, low-defined, the engine was shut down.Eribe has not officially commented on findings. The aircraft manufacturer, Boeing directed the questions for Arabia. CFM International, a joint venture engine manufacturer between GE and France’s Safran, has not responded to requests for comments. Jeju Air said it is actively collaborating with investigation and is waiting for the official release of the results. While a preliminary report released in January confirmed the presence of duck residues into both engines, it did not specify the limit of loss. A scheduled media briefing was canceled on Saturday after the families of the victims were made public, saying that the pilot was incorrectly focused on the error and failed to consider other factors. Jeju Air Flight oversees the runway during an emergency stomach landing and crashed into a embankment with navigation equipment. The collision caused the fire and partial explosion, the Reuters reported. The union of the families and pilots of the victims has urged the investigation team to investigate the role of the embankment in the seriousness of the accident. Aviation experts believe that the structure may have contributed to high death toll. The union of the pilots criticized Eribe for “misleading the public”, suggesting that there was no problem with the left engine, even though bird remains were found in both engines. The Sangh accused the investigators of making the pilots a scapegoat and providing sufficient scientific evidence to prove that the aircraft could only land safely with the left engine. The Sangh also said that the investigation has so far failed to address a possible organizational responsibility. A group representing the bereaved families said that in the planned press release, the language revealed as if a final conclusion had already reached. He has called all the facts around the accident to completely investigate and clarify. Under the International Aviation Rules, a final accident report is expected within one year of the incident.