Tragic Plane Crash at Muan Airport Claims 179 Lives, Including Two Thai Nationals A Jeju Air flight crashed at Muan International Airport following a bird strike alert, resulting in 179 fatalities. Two Thai female passengers were confirmed dead, according to the Bangkok Post, Thairath, and the Thai Embassy. Authorities are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
Sequence of Events
- 8:54 AM: Jeju Air flight 7C2216 (B737-800) received clearance to land on Runway 01 at Muan International Airport. The control tower issued a "bird strike alert," warning of large birds or flocks near the area.
- 8:56 AM: The pilot detected abnormalities in the aircraft and declared a "Mayday" emergency at
- 8:59 AM. (The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) later revised the emergency declaration time to
- 8:59 AM from an earlier report of 8:58 AM.)
- Around 9:00 AM: The aircraft attempted an emergency landing on Runway 19, which was in the opposite direction from the originally intended Runway 01. However, the landing gear failed to deploy during the landing attempt.
- 9:03 AM: The plane crashed while attempting to land, its malfunctioning landing gear causing it to overrun the runway and collide with the outer barrier, causing severe damage and fire.
Passenger Casualties
Out of the 181 passengers and crew onboard, 179 fatalities were confirmed, with three people reported missing. According to the Bangkok Post, Thairath, and the Thai Embassy, two Thai female passengers were among the deceased. This tragedy has become South Korea’s third deadliest aviation disaster after the 1983 Korean Air shootdown (269 deaths) and the 1997 Korean Air Guam crash (225 deaths).
In addition, according to Hanseo University's Aviation Training Center Director Kim Kyu-Wang (Former Captain) Discusses the Incident in the JTBC Interview,
Tragic aviation incident that occurred just four minutes after a mayday declaration. Kim noted that while a bird strike might have played an indirect role in the crash, the key question is whether the landing gear was deployed during the first approach. If the landing gear was down during the initial attempt, it would indicate normal operations at that stage, he said.
The situation reportedly escalated during a go-around after a bird warning. Kim explained that if a large bird or flock of birds struck the aircraft during this phase, it could have significantly impacted the flight. He also elaborated on the three methods for deploying landing gear in aircraft:
- Hydraulic Landing Gear System: Operated by the aircraft's primary hydraulic system.
- Alternate Gear Extension System: An electrically powered system used as a backup when the primary hydraulic system fails.
- Manual Gear Extension System: A mechanical system that allows the pilot to manually lower the landing gear as a last resort.
Kim emphasized that an issue with one engine alone would not necessarily prevent a safe landing. He stressed the need for a more thorough investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and contributing factors in the crash.
[Source: Yonhap News, December 29, 2024]
