According to the transport ministry, the two black boxes from the Boeing jet linked to the most catastrophic aviation disaster in South Korea ceased recording approximately four minutes before the incident, as reported on Saturday.
Investigators in South Korea have indicated that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders are crucial in determining the cause of the crash that resulted in the deaths of 179 individuals last month.
The incident occurred approximately four minutes following the report of a bird strike by the pilot of the Jeju Air-operated airliner.
The investigation into the crash will focus on determining the reasons behind the cessation of recording by the black boxes, according to a statement from the ministry.
The voice recorder underwent initial analysis in South Korea. However, upon discovering missing data, it was subsequently forwarded to a laboratory operated by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, according to the ministry’s statement.
Black box recorders are essential devices that gather information on pilot communications within the cockpit, alongside monitoring the performance of aircraft systems during flight.
On December 29, Jeju Air flight 7C2216, travelling from Bangkok, Thailand, to Muan in southwestern South Korea, experienced a belly landing and overshot the runway at the regional airport, resulting in an explosion upon impact with an embankment. Survivors of the incident were limited to just two individuals, both crew members located in the aircraft’s tail section.
Just two minutes before the pilots issued a Mayday emergency call, air traffic control had issued a warning regarding “bird activity.”
Sim Jai-dong, a former investigator for the transport ministry, expressed surprise at the discovery of missing data from the crucial final minutes of the budget airline’s Boeing 737-800 jet. He noted that this finding implies that all power, including backup systems, may have been cut, a rare scenario in aviation incidents.
The transport ministry announced that additional data will be utilised in the ongoing investigation, emphasising its commitment to transparency and the importance of sharing information with the victims’ families.
Family members of the victims have expressed concerns regarding the transport ministry’s role in the investigation, advocating for the inclusion of independent experts, particularly those suggested by the families.
The inquiry has turned its attention to the embankment that the aircraft collided with, which was constructed to support a “localiser” system intended to aid in aircraft landings. Questions have arisen regarding the choice of rigid materials for its construction and proximity to the runway’s end.
