Investigators Scrutinize Hydraulic System in Deadly Jeju Air Crash

The tragic crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216 at Muan International Airport in Jeolla Province, South Korea, has left investigators and aviation experts searching for answers. The disaster, which occurred on Sunday, December 29, claimed 176 lives and has raised questions about the aircraft’s technical reliability and operational safety protocols. Aviation expert Alvin Lie has pointed to a potential malfunction in the aircraft’s hydraulic system as a likely contributor to the catastrophic sequence of events.

Initial reports from South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport provided a detailed timeline of the incident. At 8:57 a.m. local time, air traffic controllers at Muan International Airport issued a bird strike warning, indicating the presence of a flock of birds in the vicinity of the incoming aircraft. A minute later, the pilot of the Boeing 737-800 declared a mayday, signaling an emergency situation. By 9:00 a.m., the aircraft attempted an emergency landing, but within seconds, it skidded off the runway, collided with the airport’s perimeter fence, and erupted in flames.

Lie’s analysis of the available data and video footage from the scene highlights a series of technical anomalies. According to Lie, the landing gear failed to deploy, and the wing flaps—critical for reducing landing speed—were not in the proper configuration for touchdown. These mechanical failures, compounded by the high-speed approach necessitated by the lack of landing gear, likely made the aircraft uncontrollable upon impact. “The aircraft seems to have suffered a technical issue with its hydraulic system, which could explain the landing gear malfunction. This would also explain why the speed upon landing was abnormally high,” Lie explained during an interview with Media Indonesia.

While the bird strike warning issued moments before the crash has been a focal point of speculation, Lie expressed skepticism about its role as the primary cause of the accident. He explained that modern aircraft, including the Boeing 737-800, are equipped with systems designed to mitigate the impact of bird strikes. Even if a bird had been ingested into one of the engines, the aircraft should have been able to continue flying safely on a single engine. “It’s highly unlikely that a bird strike alone caused this level of disaster. The evidence suggests a more complex technical failure,” he stated.

The sequence of events that followed the initial distress call paints a grim picture of escalating challenges. Witnesses described the aircraft’s descent as erratic, with visible sparks and smoke trailing from its undercarriage. Upon landing, the plane failed to decelerate effectively, skidding uncontrollably before crashing into the airport’s perimeter fence. The collision caused the fuel tanks to rupture, leading to an explosion that engulfed the aircraft in flames.

Efforts to determine the precise cause of the crash now hinge on the analysis of the aircraft’s black box, which includes the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR). These devices are expected to provide crucial insights into the aircraft’s operational status and the crew’s actions in the moments leading up to the crash. “The black box will be key to understanding the root cause of this tragedy. Until we have that data, any conclusions about what went wrong are speculative,” Lie emphasized.

The disaster has also reignited debates about aviation safety standards and the robustness of emergency response protocols. In the aftermath of the crash, authorities at Muan International Airport have faced scrutiny over their handling of the bird strike warning and their preparedness for such emergencies. Meanwhile, Jeju Air has pledged full cooperation with investigators and has grounded similar aircraft in its fleet pending the outcome of the inquiry. As the investigation unfolds, grieving families and the global aviation community await answers that could prevent similar tragedies in the future.

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