South Korea: Jeju Air Plane Crash Black Boxes Missing Last Four Minutes of Data
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Seoul, Jan 11 (NationPress) The black boxes from the Jeju Air Co. passenger aircraft that was part of last month's devastating accident have been found to be missing data from the last four minutes preceding the explosion, as stated by investigative authorities on Saturday.
South Korean officials indicated that an examination by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the B737-800 plane revealed that both devices ceased recording about four minutes before the aircraft impacted a localiser structure.
The explosion took place at 9:03 a.m. on December 29, 2024, when the Jeju Air flight collided with a concrete mound housing localiser equipment at Muan International Airport after landing gear failure.
The FDR and CVR stopped recording at 8:59 a.m., complicating the investigation process.
Authorities confirmed that even though FDR and CVR data are essential for investigations, they are not the only pieces of evidence available.
"The investigation incorporates various information sources, including air traffic control records, video evidence of the crash, and wreckage analysis from the site," they noted.
The components of the black box were sent to the NTSB in Washington last week for verification to ensure the reliability of the data. South Korean investigators dispatched to the NTSB are anticipated to return to Korea on Monday to continue their investigation domestically.
On January 7, the South Korean government decided to exclude former and current senior officials from being involved in the probe related to the recent Jeju Air plane crash to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure a transparent and objective investigation, as stated by the transport minister.
Transport Minister Park Sang-woo announced that such figures would be excluded from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, which is responsible for investigating the tragic crash that resulted in 179 fatalities.
"To distinctly ascertain the cause of the accident, we will persist in our investigation following international standards and local regulations to guarantee fairness," Park stated during a press briefing at the government complex in Sejong.
Park also elaborated that Chang Man-hee, the board chairman and a former ministry official, along with Joo Jong-wan, the head of the ministry's aviation policy office serving as a standing board member, have been completely excluded from all board activities.
Moreover, Park mentioned that the transcription of data from the cockpit voice recorder of the crashed B737-800 has been finalized, and the flight data recorder has been sent to the United States for further analysis.
