The investigation into the tragic plane crash at Muan International Airport on Sunday, which claimed 179 lives, is intensifying as authorities face growing scrutiny. A Boeing 737-800, operated by Jeju Air, lost control during landing, killing 175 passengers and four crew members.
Families of the victims have gathered at the airport, demanding clearer explanations from officials, while the government has announced a review of the regulations concerning a concrete wall near the runway, which is being blamed for contributing to the high number of fatalities.
Aviation experts have raised concerns about the “unusual” placement of the concrete wall, which the jetliner collided with after veering off the runway. Footage from the scene shows the aircraft crashing into the structure before bursting into flames, raising further questions about the safety measures at the airport and the factors that led to South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades.
As investigations continue into South Korea’s deadliest plane crash, authorities are focusing on multiple factors that may have contributed to the disaster. Flight 7C2216, a Jeju Air Boeing 737 800, suffered a bird strike during its initial approach to Muan International Airport. After aborting its first landing attempt, the aircraft ascended before attempting to land again. Two minutes later, the crew sent a distress signal and diverted to a different runway. However, the plane’s landing gear failed to deploy, and it skidded along the runway before crashing into a concrete fence, resulting in a fiery explosion. Two crew members survived, but all other passengers and crew members died.
While initial theories pointed to a bird strike as the cause of the plane’s distress, experts believe the main issue was the failure of the landing gear. Despite attempts to land without the necessary equipment, the plane was still traveling at high speed when it crashed. Aviation safety experts, including David Learmount, argue that the plane could have survived had the aircraft not collided with a hard obstruction just beyond the runway end. The concrete wall, which supports navigation equipment, is now under intense scrutiny, with experts questioning its placement 250 meters from the runway.
The wall, which holds a localizer antenna system to assist with landings, is considered an unusual safety feature for an airport runway. The structure, raised to keep the equipment level with the runway, is covered in dirt and stands four meters high.
Some experts have raised concerns that this rigid obstacle could have caused catastrophic damage to the fuselage, contributing to the severity of the crash. Chris Kingswood, a veteran pilot, emphasized that any obstacle in such proximity to the runway could compromise the safety of a landing, especially when the plane is forced to make a belly landing at high speed.
South Korea’s Transport Ministry has announced that it will review the design and safety protocols surrounding the concrete wall, exploring whether lighter materials should have been used to minimize the risk of damage in the event of an aircraft collision.
Meanwhile, investigators are examining the plane’s black boxes to determine whether there were any communication issues between the pilot and air traffic controllers that may have influenced the crash. As the investigation continues, the focus will also be on whether the localizer antenna system’s positioning played a role in the accident, with aviation experts calling for a closer look at the infrastructure and safety standards at Muan International Airport.
South Korean authorities are facing growing scrutiny over the design and safety of Muan International Airport following the deadly crash. While the government maintains that the embankment housing the localizer equipment met industry standards, experts have raised concerns about the proximity of the concrete barrier to the runway. Critics argue that such a structure, especially a rigid one, should not be placed so close to the end of a runway.
The transport ministry is reviewing whether the regulations were appropriately followed and will inspect all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating in South Korea. In response, acting President Choi Sang-mok has prioritized a comprehensive safety inspection of the airline industry and pledged transparency throughout the investigation.
This tragic incident comes at a time when South Korean officials are under pressure to avoid the mistakes made during the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014, where the slow identification of victims and investigation of the cause led to widespread criticism. Authorities have vowed to expedite the process and provide support to the families of the victims. Despite challenges in retrieving data from the damaged flight data recorder, the investigation continues, with international aviation experts joining the probe to determine the exact cause of the crash.
