A preliminary report released today reveals that both engines of the Jeju Air plane, which crashed last month, contained remains of ducks. Authorities are still working to uncover the cause of the deadliest air disaster in South Korea’s history.
The six-page document issued by South Korean authorities, one month post-crash, indicated that DNA from Baikal Teals, a type of migratory duck that travels to South Korea in large flocks for winter, was found in both engines of the Boeing 737-800 jet.
However, the report did not provide any initial conclusions regarding the reasons behind the plane’s landing without its landing gear deployed, nor why the flight data recorders stopped functioning in the last four minutes of the flight.
The Jeju Air flight from Bangkok on December 29 lost control and overshot the runway of Muan Airport while making an emergency belly landing. It crashed into an embankment containing navigation equipment, known as localisers, resulting in the deaths of all but two of the 181 passengers and crew on board.
Investigators are currently examining the wreckage of the plane following the crash on December 29.
The localiser assists in guiding aircraft during their approach to the runway. Experts have noted that the reinforced concrete and earth structure at Muan airport supporting the system’s antennas likely played a role in the high fatality rate.
Next steps in the investigation will include dissecting the engines, conducting a thorough analysis of components, reviewing in-flight and air traffic control data, and examining the embankment, localisers, and potential evidence of a bird strike, according to the report.
“These comprehensive investigation efforts are aimed at determining the precise cause of the accident,” the report stated.
Mayday
The report underscored several of the initial findings from South Korean investigators, which were shared with victims’ families on Saturday. It confirmed that the pilots were aware of a flock of birds during the aircraft’s final approach.
While the exact timing of the bird strike as reported by the pilots remains unverified, the accident report mentioned that the aircraft “issued an emergency declaration (Mayday x 3) due to a bird strike during a go-around.”
The report does not clarify what may have caused both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) to stop recording simultaneously just prior to the pilots declaring the emergency.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a UN agency, mandates that accident investigators produce a preliminary report within 30 days of the incident and encourages the publication of a final report within 12 months.
South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board has shared its findings with ICAO, as well as with Thailand, the United States, and France, which are the countries of origin for the plane and engine manufacturers, as reported by an official today.
