Seoul (South Korea), July 23 (AP) - Preliminary findings from an investigation into the disastrous Jeju Air crash last December revealed that both plane engines suffered bird strikes. However, in what appears to be a critical misstep, the pilots switched off the engine that was less damaged just before the crash-landing. This conclusion, suggesting human error, has incited strong reactions from the victims' families and colleagues of the deceased pilots, who argue that authorities are unduly attributing fault to the pilots.
The South Korean Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board had initially intended to release its findings regarding the plane's engines on a Saturday. However, the planned press conference was canceled following protests from the crash victims' families, who had been briefed on the findings earlier that day, according to government officials and relatives of those affected.
"If they want to claim their investigation was carried out in a credible, independent manner, they should provide evidence to support their account," said Kim Yu-jin, leader of an association of the bereaved families. "None of us blame the pilots." The Boeing 737-800, operated by Jeju Air, crash-landed on its belly without deploying its landing gear at South Korea's Muan International Airport on December 29. The aircraft overshot the runway, struck a concrete structure, and caught fire. This incident resulted in the deadliest aviation disaster South Korea has seen in decades, sparing just two of the 181 individuals on board.
Pilot Decision Raises Red Flags - An unpublished copy of the briefing acquired by The Associated Press indicates that a multilateral team led by South Korea found no defects in the plane's Safran and GE-manufactured engines. The review revealed that the right engine suffered more severe damage from bird ingestion, leading to a significant fire and heavy smoke. Yet, the crew switched off the left engine instead, the findings cite based on analyses of the cockpit voice recorder, the flight data recorder, and engine inspections.
The black boxes from the Boeing aircraft ceased recording approximately four minutes before the crash, complicating the investigation into the incident's causes. The report did not clarify the reasons for the pilots' decision to shut off the less affected engine and stopped short of concluding if it was an error on their part.
Criticism Builds Over Investigation - Families of the victims and pilots from Jeju Air and other airlines have strongly criticized the investigation's findings, insisting that the cockpit voice and flight data recorders be disclosed. "Our 6,500-strong civilian airline pilot group can't suppress our fury over the ludicrous assertion from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, which has lost its neutrality," the Korean Pilot Unions Alliance stated.
Jeju Air's unionized pilots also pressured authorities to present scientific evidence proving that the plane could have landed safely with the less damaged engine operational. The recent report focused solely on engine issues, omitting other potential crash factors, such as the concrete structure the plane struck. This structure housed antennas called localizers that guide landing aircraft, and many analysts argue it should be constructed with more fragile materials. Some pilots suspect the government might be reluctant to prominently blame the localizers or bird strikes for the fatalities, as Muan airport is managed directly by the Transport Ministry.
Neither the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board nor the Transport Ministry has publicly addressed the criticism. They have also abstained from public discussions regarding the engine investigation to respect the wishes of the victims' families.
An investigation-insider told the AP that authorities are examining localizers and additional issues, such as whether air traffic controllers communicated the bird strike risk swiftly and how Jeju Air's pilot emergency training was conducted. This individual, preferring anonymity due to the investigation's sensitive nature, noted that the release of engine-related findings came at the request of victim relatives. Authorities, according to the source, do not intend to caste sole blame on the pilots.
The probe aims to finalize and publish its results by next June.
Kwon Bo Hun, dean at the Aeronautics College of Far East University in South Korea, criticized the engine investigation report as "clumsy" for failing to present evidence supporting its conclusions about pilot actions. He remarked that it merely stirs emotional responses because it hints at placing total blame on the pilots.
A former Transport Ministry official, now a university professor, defended the engine investigation's reliability, citing its foundation on cockpit voice and flight data recorders, which he contended "don't lie," though requested anonymity due to the case's sensitive nature. (AP)
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