Jeju Air Interim Report: Pilots Cut Wrong Engine Following Bird Strike

Preliminary Findings Highlight Pilot Error in Jeju Air Crash

An interim report from South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) has revealed that pilot error may have been a key factor in the tragic crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216 at Muan International Airport in December 2024. The incident, which claimed the lives of 179 people, has raised serious concerns about the handling of the emergency landing.

According to the findings, the captain may have mistakenly shut down the wrong engine after a reported bird strike during the emergency landing attempt. This critical error is believed to have contributed significantly to the disaster. However, the release of these preliminary conclusions has sparked strong reactions from both the victims’ families and the pilots’ union.

Missteps During Emergency Landing

The initial report released earlier this year suggested that the crash was caused by dual engine failure due to bird ingestion. DNA evidence from Baikal teal, a common duck species in East Asia, was found in both engines, supporting this conclusion. However, further analysis has led investigators to revise their findings.

The more detailed interim report indicates that only the right engine sustained serious damage, while the left engine remained operational. Both engines were sent to France for examination, and the results confirmed that the left engine had no mechanical issues and its electronic systems were functioning properly.

Cockpit voice recordings revealed that the captain instructed the pilot to “shut down engine number two (the damaged right engine).” Instead, the pilot pulled the fuel cutoff switch for the left engine and activated its fire extinguisher, permanently disabling it. This mistake resulted in a total loss of engine power and electrical systems, leaving essential safety components—such as the black boxes and landing gear—nonfunctional in the final moments before impact.

Deviations from Standard Procedures

Further analysis of the flight sequence has uncovered additional concerns. Investigators noted that the flight crew deviated from standard emergency procedures. Instead of continuing on the original approach path after the bird strike, the pilots initiated a climb, performed a series of irregular maneuvers, and attempted a rushed landing from the opposite direction on the same runway.

These actions, combined with the incorrect engine shutdown, are under scrutiny to determine if they played a role in the outcome. The final report is expected to be released next year, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the events leading up to the crash.

Details of the Flight and Aftermath

Jeju Air flight 7C2216, a Boeing 737-800 registered as HL8088, was operating a scheduled service from Bangkok to Muan on December 29, 2024. Shortly after issuing a mayday call, the aircraft attempted an emergency landing at Muan International Airport. With no engine thrust and limited onboard power, the plane touched down at high speed with its landing gear retracted. It skidded off the runway and collided with a concrete berm near the instrument landing system antenna, causing the aircraft to erupt in flames. Of the 181 people on board, only two survived.

Pushback from Families and Pilots' Union

The interim findings have drawn strong objections from both the victims’ families and the Jeju Air pilots’ union. The union criticized the report as a “malicious framing” of the captain’s actions and argued that the investigation failed to address systemic factors. They specifically questioned why a concrete structure was present near the runway and whether airport infrastructure deficiencies may have worsened the outcome.

Meanwhile, families of the victims claim the report prematurely blames the crew without disclosing critical data or offering a complete account of the circumstances. Legal counsel for the families has repeatedly requested access to the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder but has not been granted, fueling frustration over transparency.

After a closed-door briefing by the ARAIB, family representatives arrived at the venue for the scheduled press conference and demanded its cancellation. The commission agreed, retracted the press release that had already been distributed, and called off the official announcement.