The two black boxes from the Boeing jet involved in South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster stopped recording approximately four minutes before the crash, according to the transport ministry’s announcement on Saturday.
Investigators had previously stated that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders were essential for determining the cause of the tragic incident, which resulted in the deaths of 179 individuals. The accident occurred shortly after the pilot reported a bird strike.
Authorities are now focusing on what led to the black boxes ceasing their recording functions. The cockpit voice recorder was initially analyzed in South Korea, but after it was discovered that data was missing, it was sent to a U.S. National Transportation Safety Board laboratory for further examination.
The black box recorders capture vital data from pilot communications as well as information on the aircraft’s systems during flight. The Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which was en route from Bangkok, Thailand, to Muan in southwestern South Korea, belly-landed and overshot the runway on December 29, resulting in an explosion upon hitting an embankment. Only two people survived the crash: crew members seated in the tail section.
Prior to the crash, just two minutes before the Mayday emergency call was made, air traffic control had issued warnings about “bird activity.” Sim Jai-dong, a former investigator with the transport ministry, expressed his surprise at the absence of data from the jet’s final moments, suggesting that all power, including backup systems, may have been completely cut, which is an unusual occurrence.
The transport ministry stated that other available data would be utilized in the investigation and assured that the probe would be transparent, with information shared with the victims’ families. Some family members have voiced their concerns, asserting that the transport ministry should not lead the investigation without the involvement of independent experts, particularly those recommended by the families.
Additionally, the investigation is examining the embankment that the plane crashed into, questioning why it was constructed with rigid material and positioned so close to the end of the runway, given its role in supporting a localizer system for aircraft landings.
Credit: USA Today