Investigators probing the December 29 Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash at Muan face challenges after discovering that both flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) failed to capture the final four minutes of the accident sequence. The crash, which tragically left only two survivors among the 181 people on board, continues to raise critical questions about its cause and the functionality of the FDR and CVR systems on the Jeju Air 737-800 involved in the crash.
The incident occurred when the aircraft overran Muan’s runway 19 during a gear-up and apparently flapless landing attempt, following an aborted approach to the opposite runway, 01. The high-speed overrun led to a collision with the mounted localizer, significantly damaging the aircraft.
Both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, which are crucial for understanding accident dynamics, were retrieved. While the cockpit voice recorder appeared intact, its data stopped recording four minutes before the crash. Similarly, the flight data recorder’s connection between its power supply and data storage unit was found damaged. This further complicated the Jeju Air incident FDR and CVR analysis.
Assistance from U.S. Experts
With domestic resources unable to process the damaged flight data recorder, Korean investigators enlisted the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to extract and analyze the data. Between January 7 and January 11, the NTSB carried out a detailed analysis in Washington, D.C., with Korean officials present.
Despite efforts, the analysis confirmed that neither the cockpit voice recorder nor the flight data recorder retained information for the critical four-minute window before the collision. “The cause of the data not being stored is planned to be identified during the accident investigation process,” stated the Ministry of Transport. The reliability of the FDR and CVR in the Jeju Air aircraft is under scrutiny as a result.
Ongoing Commitment to Investigate
Acknowledging the importance of flight recorder data, the Ministry of Transport emphasized that investigations rely on a broad range of data sources to establish the events leading up to an accident. “We plan to do our best to accurately determine the cause of the accident,” a ministry official stated, reaffirming their dedication to uncovering the truth.
The investigation remains active as officials analyze all available evidence to understand the factors that led to the crash.
Despite a setback caused by missing flight recorder data, Korean investigators are determined to uncover the causes of the Jeju Air crash at Muan. Assistance from the NTSB highlights the collaborative efforts in this ongoing inquiry.
