Seoul: Fresh findings from South Korea’s aviation authorities have revealed a troubling detail in the investigation of the fatal Jeju Air crash that occurred in December 2024. According to an interim report released by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB), the aircraft had one functioning engine at the time of the crash, but it was shut down by the flight crew following a bird strike an action that may have contributed significantly to the disaster.
The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 was on its approach to Muan Airport when it suffered a bird strike shortly after takeoff. Just 19 seconds after the incident, the pilots shut down the aircraft’s left engine ironically, the engine that had sustained less damage. The right engine, which had been impacted by the bird strike and showed signs of smoke and internal damage, was left running. Investigators say the right engine was still capable of producing thrust and could have kept the aircraft airborne had the left engine remained operational.
This sequence of decisions has drawn serious concern among aviation experts and has raised public outrage, particularly among the families of the victims. The crash claimed 179 lives out of the 181 people on board, making it the deadliest air disaster in South Korea’s history. Critics argue that the pilots' response may have stemmed from a misdiagnosis of the engine failure, drawing comparisons to similar past accidents where the wrong engine was shut down under stress, such as the 1989 Kegworth air disaster in the United Kingdom.
The report also emphasized that there were no pre-existing mechanical issues with either engine before the bird strike. This has led to growing speculation that the tragedy was the result of a human error, compounded by inadequate safety infrastructure at Muan Airport. Families of the victims have voiced anger over what they describe as premature conclusions and insufficient focus on other contributing factors such as the presence of a concrete embankment near the runway that intensified the impact of the belly landing.
The embankment, which the aircraft crashed into before catching fire, has been a point of controversy. Safety advocates argue that such rigid barriers violate international aviation safety norms, which typically recommend the use of frangible structures that collapse on impact to reduce fatal outcomes. The continued presence of such infrastructure has sparked calls for an immediate review of airport safety measures across South Korea.
In response to mounting pressure, ARAIB has committed to conducting a thorough and transparent investigation. Officials plan to publish the final report by June 2026, which will include a detailed analysis of flight data, cockpit recordings, and systemic factors such as pilot training and airport design.
In the meantime, the tragedy has ignited fresh debate within the aviation community about the need for improved engine failure recognition training, more sophisticated cockpit alert systems, and reinforced oversight of airport safety compliance. As the investigation continues, families of the victims and aviation safety experts alike are demanding accountability not only for the actions in the cockpit, but also for the structural and regulatory gaps that allowed such a devastating crash to unfold.