Boeing 737 crash: Black box data mystery deepens
The black boxes of the Boeing 737-800, which crashed in South Korea, ceased recording data four minutes before the crash.
The black boxes of the Boeing 737-800, which crashed at the end of December at Muan Airport in South Korea, stopped recording data four minutes before the collision with a concrete structure. This information was provided by the South Korean Ministry of Transport, as reported by PAP.
Analysis of the black boxes
The American National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) analysed the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the Jeju Air plane. Both devices stopped recording data four minutes before hitting the locator. Initially, they were analysed in South Korea, but due to the lack of data, they were sent to the USA.
The crash occurred on 29 December, 9:03 AM local time. The plane, landing without the landing gear deployed, collided with a concrete structure at the end of the runway. Out of 181 people on board, two were rescued. Air traffic controllers warned of a possible bird strike, and the captain issued a "mayday" signal.
The FDR and CVR stopped working at 8:59 AM, complicating the analysis of events between the distress call and the collision. Bird feathers were found in one of the engines. The Ministry of Transport assures it will make every effort to determine the cause of the crash by analysing available data, camera recordings, and communications with the control tower.
