The final minutes of South Korea’s ill-fated Jeju Air flight before its fiery 2024 crash
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The final minutes were gathered from a preliminary investigation report in January, South Korea’s Transport Ministry and fire authorities, and a July 19 update from investigators seen by Reuters.
PHOTO: AFP
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South Korea is investigating the crash of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 jet on Dec 29, 2024, at Muan International Airport that killed 179 people
The following are the final minutes of Flight 7C2216 gathered from a preliminary investigation report in January, South Korea’s Transport Ministry and fire authorities, and a July 19 update from investigators seen by Reuters.
All times are in South Korean time.
8.54.43am - Jeju Air 7C2216 contacts Muan airport air traffic control as it makes its final approach and is given clearance to land on runway 01, which is orientated at 10 degrees north-east.
8.57.50am - Air traffic control gives “caution – bird activity” advisory.
8.58.11am - Jeju Air pilots are heard talking about spotting a flock of birds under the aircraft.
8.58.26am - The aircraft aborts the landing attempt and then strikes birds while starting to circle back for another landing attempt known as a go-around. Both engines continued to operate with vibrations. The right engine also experienced a surge, emitting large flames and thick black smoke.
8.58.45am - Pilots stop the left engine while performing emergency procedures. The July 19 update said the evidence for this came from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), flight data recorder (FDR), and inspection of the engines.
8.58.50am - The aircraft’s FDR and CVR stop recording. At the moment both “black boxes” stop recording, the aircraft is flying at a speed of 161 knots (298 kmh) at an altitude of 152m.
8.58.56am - The pilot makes an emergency “mayday” declaration related to a bird strike during the go-around.
9am - During the go-around, Flight 7C2216 requests clearance to land on runway 19, which is by approach from the opposite end of the airport’s single runway.
9.01am - Air traffic control authorises landing on runway 19.
9.02am - Flight 7C2216 makes contact with the runway at about the 1,200m point of the 2,800m runway. The landing gear is not lowered and the plane lands on its belly.
9.02.34am - Air traffic control alerts the “crash bell” at the airport fire rescue unit.
9.02.55am - The airport fire rescue unit completes deploying fire rescue equipment.
9.02.57am - Flight 7C2216 crashes into an embankment after overshooting the runway.
9.10am - The Transport Ministry receives an accident report from airport authorities.
9.23am - One male is rescued and transported to a temporary medical facility.
9.38am - Muan airport is closed.
9.50am - Rescue is completed of a second person from inside the tail section of the plane. REUTERS
