A preliminary investigation into the tragic crash of a Jeju Air passenger plane in South Korea has revealed a bird strike as a contributing factor. The crash, which occurred in December and resulted in 179 fatalities, involved a Boeing 737-800 that collided with a concrete structure at the end of the runway.
Feathers and blood stains found on both engines were identified as coming from a Baikal teal, a type of migratory duck. The investigation is now focused on analyzing the bird strike’s role and the impact of the concrete structure.
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The flight, which departed from Bangkok on December 29 and was bound for Muan International Airport, encountered “bird activity” just minutes before the crash. The pilot issued a mayday call, and despite requesting permission to land from the opposite direction, the plane belly-landed and overran the runway before crashing into the concrete structure, which caused an explosion.
Flight data and cockpit voice recorders stopped functioning around four minutes before the crash. Experts have questioned the presence of the concrete barriers, suggesting that their removal could have potentially lessened the severity of the crash. In response, South Korea’s transport ministry plans to replace the concrete barriers at seven airports and modify runway safety areas.
The investigation has been shared with the United Nations’ aviation agency and authorities in the United States, France, and Thailand for further analysis.
