Did a bird strike cause the South Korean flight to crash? Experts say… – Firstpost

Aviation experts on Sunday (Dec 29) cast doubt on initial suggestions that a bird strike caused Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 to crash in South Korea, marking the country’s deadliest aviation disaster.

The twin-engine Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan International Airport on Saturday (Dec 28), skidding down the runway with no visible landing gear before crashing into a wall in a fiery explosion. Almost all 181 people on board were killed.

South Korean officials said they were investigating the cause of the crash, including the possibility of a bird strike. However, experts expressed skepticism, citing several unanswered questions.

“Why didn’t the fire tenders put foam on the runway? Why weren’t they present when the plane landed? And why did the aircraft land so far down the runway? And why was there a brick wall at the end of the runway? asked Geoffrey Thomas, editor of Airline News.

The flight data recorder was recovered at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by the cockpit voice recorder at 2:24 p.m., according to South Korea’s Transport Ministry.

Thomas emphasized that these recordings are critical. “The plane’s heartbeat is on the flight data recorder…The voice recorder will probably provide the most interesting analysis of what happened in this tragic accident.” Thomas said.

Officials confirmed the pilots declared a mayday after receiving a bird strike warning, but it remains unclear whether the aircraft struck any birds.

Experts said it seemed unlikely that a bird strike had caused the landing gear to malfunction.

“A bird strike is not unusual, problems with an undercarriage are not unusual. “Bird strikes happen a lot more often, but they usually don’t cause the loss of an airplane by itself,” Thomas said.

Australian airline safety expert Geoffrey Dell echoed that sentiment, saying: “I’ve never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from being extended.”

Aviation consultant Trevor Jensen said fire and emergency services are usually prepared for belly landings, raising questions about why this incident appeared unplanned.

In the event of a belly landing, pilots typically cut fuel, land at the far end of the runway and rely on fire crews to provide foam coverage, Thomas said.

The plane’s failure to decelerate after hitting the runway also puzzled experts.

South Korean authorities have promised a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

With contributions from agencies