South Korean authorities investigating the Jeju Air plane crash that occurred last month have submitted a preliminary accident report to the United Nations aviation agency, as well as to the authorities in the United States, France, and Thailand, according to an official statement made on Monday.
The inquiry into the most severe aviation disaster on South Korean territory is still in progress, as indicated in the report released on Monday. The investigation is concentrating on the potential impact of a “bird strike” and includes an examination of the aircraft’s engines and the localiser landing guidance system.
The report stated, “These comprehensive investigative efforts are aimed at accurately determining the cause of the accident.”
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the U.N. agency responsible for aviation safety, mandates that accident investigators submit a preliminary report within 30 days of the incident and encourages the publication of a final report within a year.
The Boeing 737-800 jet, which was traveling from Bangkok and was set to land at Muan International Airport, overshot the runway during an emergency belly landing and collided with the localiser structure, resulting in the deaths of all but two of the 181 individuals on board, including crew members, on December 29.
Experts have indicated that the localiser, which assists in the navigation of aircraft during their approach to the runway, and the reinforced concrete and earth structure at Muan Airport that supports the system’s antennas may have contributed to the tragedy.
The report also shared initial findings from South Korean investigators with the victims’ families on Saturday, which included discussions among the pilots regarding a flock of birds they observed during their final approach.
While the precise timing of the bird strike reported by the pilots has not been confirmed, the accident report noted that the aircraft issued an emergency declaration (Mayday x 3) due to a bird strike during a go-around maneuver.
Both engines were inspected, revealing the presence of feathers and blood stains from birds on each, according to the report.
Following the impact with the embankment, a fire ensued along with a partial explosion. Both engines became embedded in the soil of the embankment, while the forward fuselage was scattered over a distance of 30 to 200 meters from the site of the embankment, the report indicated.
The report does not clarify the reasons behind the simultaneous cessation of recording by the two data recorders just prior to the pilots issuing a mayday call. At the time the black boxes stopped recording, the aircraft was flying at an altitude of 498 feet (152 meters) and a speed of 161 knots (298 km/h or 185 mph), as stated in the report.
