Plane Crash in South Korea Kills 179 People

What Happened?

A commercial airliner crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea, killing 179 people on board.

Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216 took off from Bangkok and was attempting to land in southern South Korea when the plane slammed into a barrier just off the end of the runway.

The crash was the deadliest worldwide in six years and the worst in South Korea in over a decade.

According to local authorities, the Boeing 737-800 received a bird activity warning from the ground control center, and shortly afterwards the pilot issued a distress signal.

Such warnings are not unusual for Muan. It is located near several bird sanctuaries.

The plane appeared to land without the front landing gear being deployed and was unable to stop after reaching the end of the runway. After failing to come to a stop at the end of the runway the plane then struck a concrete fence and exploded.

Why it Matters

The tragic loss of life sent shockwaves through South Korea which was already reeling from a recent political crisis. Families and loved ones demanded answers from authorities. But crash investigators have only begun to examine the evidence in order to determine why the Jeju Air flight crashed. 

From the available video evidence, it appears the aircraft made a gear up landing. This would have made it difficult to quickly stop forward momentum after landing. The continued forward momentum of the aircraft carried it off the end of the runway and into a nearby obstruction.

It also appeared from the video that the aircraft touched down too far along the runway, which didn’t leave enough room to safely stop.

South Korean authorities said they will conduct immediate safety inspections of all 737-800s operated by carriers flying in or to South Korea. Because the aircraft was manufactured in the United States, representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board will assist in the investigation.

Officials from South Korea’s government said they expect the full investigation will take months to complete.

The plane that crashed was a Boeing 737-800. Boeing’s stock dropped 5% in the wake of the disaster at Muan. The disaster is another blow to Boeing’s reputation. It has already suffered in the wake of billions in lost revenue this year due to striking workers and a host of quality control problems.

How it Affects You

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have indicated they will accompany the inspectors from the National Transportation and Safety Board to Muan Airport.

But the FAA has not grounded any other 737-800s.

There are over 4,000 of those aircraft currently in service worldwide. The definitive cause of the crash will likely remain unknown until the investigation has been completed.