Investigators have discovered that the Jeju Air aircraft, which crashed in December 2024 during an emergency landing following a bird strike, may have been able to continue flying despite severe damage. One of the engines was still operational, although the pilots chose to shut down the other, less damaged one.
The Boeing 737-800 landed with its landing gear retracted at Muan Airport, overran the runway, caught fire, and broke apart after hitting a wall, resulting in the deaths of 179 of the 181 people on board. The official report on the cause of the crash has not yet been released, but preliminary findings indicate that the left engine, reportedly less damaged, was shut down just 19 seconds after the bird strike. According to eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage, the right engine emitted smoke and flames, although the investigation suggests it was still producing sufficient thrust for flight.
It remains unclear why the pilots shut down the engine that was in better condition. The investigation is ongoing, and experts caution that most aviation accidents result from a combination of factors, making it too early to draw definitive conclusions. The case has drawn comparisons to a 1989 crash in England, where pilots mistakenly shut down the undamaged engine.
A recently released internal document suggests that even a severely damaged engine might have kept the aircraft airborne longer than initially believed. However, the report does not specify the actual power output of the engine or the other options available to the crew before they decided to land in the opposite direction with the landing gear retracted. Damage was found on both engines, but the report lacks details on the condition of engine-related systems, further complicating efforts to understand the event.
Families of the victims have expressed concern over the potential one-sided focus on pilot error and have called for the release of additional evidence. They also urged an investigation into the role the wall struck by the aircraft played in the high fatality rate, pointing out that the crew cannot be held responsible for a structurally unsafe object at the end of a runway. Experts warn that navigation equipment near runways, such as that at Muan Airport, should be mounted on frangible structures that break upon impact, whereas in this case, they were made of concrete or steel. South Korea’s Ministry of Transport has confirmed that it will redesign such installations at seven domestic airports, including Muan, regardless of the final findings of the investigation.
The final report on the accident is expected in June next year.
