A routine flight turned into a catastrophic disaster on Sunday, December 29, when Jeju Air flight 7C2216 crashed during an emergency landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea’s Jeolla Province. The crash, which resulted in the loss of 176 lives, has left investigators piecing together a complex puzzle of technical malfunctions and operational challenges. Aviation expert Alvin Lie has suggested that a failure in the aircraft’s hydraulic system may have played a pivotal role in the tragic incident.
The ill-fated Boeing 737-800 was on its final approach to Muan International Airport after departing from Bangkok, Thailand. At 8:57 a.m. local time, air traffic controllers issued a bird strike warning, alerting the flight crew to the presence of birds near the runway. Within a minute, the pilot declared a mayday, signaling a critical emergency. Despite the crew’s efforts, the aircraft crash-landed at 9:00 a.m., skidding off the runway and colliding with the airport’s perimeter fence before bursting into flames.
Video footage and eyewitness accounts have revealed troubling details about the aircraft’s condition during its descent. According to Alvin Lie, the landing gear failed to deploy, leaving the aircraft unable to perform a standard touchdown. Compounding this issue, the wing flaps—essential for reducing speed and stabilizing the aircraft during landing—were not configured correctly. These mechanical failures likely forced the pilot to approach the runway at a dangerously high speed, increasing the risk of a catastrophic outcome. “The malfunction in the hydraulic system appears to have prevented the landing gear from extending and the flaps from operating as they should. This created an almost impossible situation for the pilot,” Lie explained.
While the bird strike warning has been highlighted in initial reports, Lie cast doubt on its significance as the primary cause of the crash. He pointed out that modern jet engines are designed to withstand bird ingestion without catastrophic failure. “Even if a bird strike occurred, the aircraft’s engine could have been shut down, and the plane should have remained controllable. The evidence points to a more critical technical issue within the aircraft,” he noted.
The moments following the emergency landing were marked by chaos and devastation. Witnesses described the aircraft’s high-speed descent and the sparks visible as it skidded along the runway. The collision with the airport’s perimeter fence caused the fuel tanks to rupture, triggering an explosion that consumed the aircraft. Emergency responders faced significant challenges in containing the blaze and evacuating passengers, with many succumbing to the fire before rescue efforts could reach them.
Investigators are now focused on retrieving and analyzing data from the aircraft’s black box, which contains the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR). These devices are expected to provide crucial insights into the technical failures and the actions of the flight crew during the critical moments leading up to the crash. “The black box will be instrumental in determining the exact sequence of events and identifying the root cause of this tragedy. Until the analysis is complete, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn,” Lie stated.
As the investigation continues, the crash has prompted broader discussions about aviation safety and the adequacy of emergency preparedness at airports. Authorities at Muan International Airport are under scrutiny for their response to the bird strike warning and their overall handling of the incident. Meanwhile, Jeju Air has grounded similar aircraft in its fleet and pledged full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. In the face of profound loss, the global aviation community looks to the findings of this inquiry to guide future safety enhancements and prevent such tragedies from occurring again.
