[50][51] The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was retrieved on 26 March,[52] and on 27 March, the flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has not yet determined the ultimate cause of the crash, and China Eastern has previously said the pilot flying the plane was in good physical, emotional, and financial health. China will lead the investigation, which will include a representative from the US crash investigator the National Transportation Safety Board, plus representatives from Boeing and CFM, the General Electric-Safran joint venture that made the engines on this plane. Breaking News: A story in the Wall Street Journal reports that the crash of the China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 that went down in March in a remote area of Southeast China killing all 132 aboard was caused by human input. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies, Findings suggest one of the pilots of the plane may have caused the nosedive, or someone broke into the cockpit and did so. If you continue on this website you must agree to our Website Terms and our Privacy Policy The plane did what it was told to do by someone in the cockpit, says an anonymous source quoted by the newspaper. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), which is leading the investigation, has not yet said what it thinks caused the crash. Mr Zhu said the severe damage to the aircraft, which was carrying 132 people, would make it difficult to establish why the plane fell 30,000 feet. [17] All of the plane's occupants died. [18] It was the first fatal crash involving China Eastern Airlines since November 2004's Flight 5210. [74], On U.S. stock markets, Boeing shares initially fell by 7.8 percent and China Eastern shares by 8.2 percent after the incident. China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight in China from Kunming to Guangzhou. Flight MU5735 was at 8800 metres on Monday afternoon when it went into a dive about an hour into its flight, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24. But just over an hour into its journey, China Eastern Flight MU5735 pitched over into a sudden near-vertical dive. That kind of vertical dive, without a radio call of any kind from the flightcrew, could clearly indicate a human activity to make that happen, says aviation safety consultant and former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member John Goglia. However, investigators have not verified the ADS-B data. US investigators, however, do not have all information available to their Chinese counterparts, one source told the newspaper. [26] Liu Ning, secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in Guangxi, visited the crash site and ordered an "all-out" search and rescue operation. They have completed an initial investigative report about the crash, but have not released its full contents. A China Eastern passenger jet crashed into the mountains on Monday, March 21, with 132 passengers on board. That theory had been circulating virtually since the narrowbody came down, but Chinas release of an initial accident report on 20 April included no details to dispel it. [60], On 20 April, CAAC released a preliminary report regarding the accident, stating that "there was no abnormality in the radio communication and control command between the crew and the air traffic control department before deviating from the cruise altitude." Flight data from the doomed . Graphic shows location of Eastern China crash and the altitude profile of the flight. The crash site is surrounded on three sides by mountains and is accessible only onfoot and by motorcycle on a steep dirt road in the semitropical Guangxi region, famed for some of China's most spectacular scenery. "Given the information currently available, we still do not have a clear assessment of the cause for the crash.". A 737 crashed in China. That software is not on 737-800s. Chinese officials sayinvestigatorstrying to determine why a passenger aircraft plummeted to the ground are facing a "very high level" of difficulty. His family said he had taken a job at Guardian Flight last year. Editor's Note: This story was updated to include an official statement from the NTSB. Americas owner-flown aircraft enthusiasts and active-pilot resource, delivered to your inbox! Spanish air navigation service Enaire has started implementing an air traffic optimisation project at Madrid Barajas airport, including independent approaches to its parallel runways. After officials initially failed to answer basic questions about the plane and its pilots, they were accused by online commentators of "rainbow farts," an idiom for excessive praise. [46] The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said a senior official had been appointed as its representative to the inquiry. [58], Early reports of the aircraft's flight data recorder pointed towards a deliberate crash from the cockpit. The crash of a Boeing 737-800 passenger jet in Chinas southwest started a fire big enough to be seen from space and forced rescuers to search a rugged, remote mountainside. Although aviation safety experts caution against drawing conclusions based on incomplete information, they see a limited number of possible causes. . EDGE: A new global force in aerospace and defence, FlightGlobal Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2021, Airline Business special: CEOs to watch in 2021, Boeing takes issue with massive Chinese Airbus order, Tara Twin Otter crash follows years of accidents, China says no official information about China Eastern crash released, FAA examining close call at Boston involving Learjet and JetBlue E190, Inside the effort to standardise 100% drop-in sustainable aviation fuel, Madrid reconfigures airspace to simplify arrivals and departures. Beijing A China Eastern passenger jet carrying 132 people crashed in southern China on Monday, aviation authorities said. China Eastern Airlines has grounded all its 737-800s. File image. Investigators have so far not found any. Shell Aviation: What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation? The China Eastern 737-800s flight data recorder. The crash of China Eastern Flight 5735 posed a fresh challenge for aviation authorities in the country, which has maintained a strong flight-safety record in recent years. What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation? And while cockpit intrusion remains a possibility, pilot murder-suicide seems likelier, as ATC received no hijacking coded message from the crew, and the cockpit door, as is the case in the United States, is strongly secured. The plane that crashed on Monday was a Boeing 737-800, not the Boeing 737 Max, a newer model that was temporarily grounded worldwide following two deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Continental Details Engines Woes, and Its Not Just Cirrus Planes. The findings come in part from information recovered from the Boeing 737 flight data recorder, known as a black box, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the US investigation. [54] Concurrently, on April 1, a team of NTSB investigators left the United States for China. At 15:56, firefighters from nearby Tangbu arrived, and at 16:40, firefighters from outside Wuzhou were dispatched from Guilin, Beihai, Hezhou, Laibin and Hechi. [16] Footage from the crash site showed wreckage and a fire. No distress call was received. Three days after the China Eastern Airlines flight fell from the sky, there are more questions than answers. In mid April, China Eastern returned some 737-800s to. All Rights Reserved After this weeks crash, China Eastern grounded all of its 737-800s, Chinas Transport Ministry said. Investigators searching for clues into the crash of China Eastern flight MU 5735 will look at any damage and subsequent repairs performed on the rear bulkhead as a possible cause. 4 engine, while cruising at 41,000 ft (12,500 m). According to US officials familiar with the matter, data from the black box suggests that someone in the cockpit intentionally caused the plane to crash, by pushing the . Both aircraft recorders were severely damaged and were sent to Washington for further investigation. After this week's crash, China Eastern grounded all of its 737-800s, China's Transport Ministry said. 2023 Madavor Media, LLC. [46] Boeing said that it was informed by initial reports and was gathering details. Accept. [48] COVID-19 quarantine regulations may hamper access of U.S. investigators to mainland China. Twenty-six people were killed and at least 85 injured after two trains collided head-on in Greece late on Tuesday night, while the cause of the deadliest rail crash in Greece in decades remained . China Eastern Black Box Points to Intentional Nosedive (WSJ), China Eastern crash probe looks into crew actions, sources say (Reuters), China Eastern plane crash likely intentional, US reports say (BBC), For full details of graphics available/in preparation, see Menu -> Planners. [39] Rescue workers found a 1.3-metre-long (4ft 3in) wreckage fragment, believed to be part of the aircraft, 10 kilometres (6mi) from the main site. Two days after the China Eastern Airlines flight plunged from the sky, there are more questions than answers. But this airplane doesnt have a history [of] doing anything like that.. Watch the video above for more on the aftermath of the crash, For more Travel related news and videos check out 7Travel >>. The Boeing 737-800 jet hurtled to the ground at high speed - thousands of feet. We've received your submission. It was reported that the plane was airworthy, up to date on inspections, that all personnel met requirements, that weather was fine, and that no dangerous goods were found. Graphic News is a registered trade mark, Basket ({{ basket.items.length | formatCountString }}). Rescue personnel at the crash site of flightMU5735. They have been involved in 22 accidents that damaged the planes beyond repair and killed 612 people. The jet was a Boeing 737-800, a model long viewed as a reliable workhorse in the industry. The flight crew consisted of three pilots, five flight attendants and an in-flight security guard. Goglia notes that the China Eastern pilots made no contact with air traffic control. Investigators sifting through the wreckage of the China Eastern Airlines Corp. jetliner that slammed into a hillside two days ago will glean the most conclusive evidence on what caused the. One of the black boxes has been found, local media reports. [43], China Eastern established a hotline for family members[67] and announced that its Boeing 737-800 fleet would be grounded for inspection until the investigation was completed. Black box data recovered from a China Eastern flight that crashed in March suggests someone in the cockpit intentionally downed the plane, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a preliminary . The China Eastern Airlines Corp. jet was flying a normal route to Guangzhou when it suddenly nosed over at cruise altitude and dove. At the time, it was too early to draw any conclusions, as the investigations had just begun and the flight data recorders had not yet been recovered. Cancellation rates in China were the highest of 2022. Zhu Tao, director of aviation safety at the Civil Aviation Administration of China, has said the investigation . [64][65], Chinese premier Li Keqiang called for comprehensive efforts to search for survivors and treat the injured, emphasizing the need to reassure and serve the families of the victims. Plane and Pilot expands upon the vast base of knowledge and experience from aviations most reputable influencers to inspire, educate, entertain and inform. It is the deadliest accident involving a CRJ100/200 series, and was the deadliest in China Eastern Airlines' history at that time until the crash of Flight 5735 on 21 March 2022, which killed 132 crew and passengers. Spanish air navigation service Enaire has started implementing an air traffic optimisation project at Madrid Barajas airport, including independent approaches to its parallel runways. [53] The two flight recorders were sent to a facility in Washington, D.C. for analysis. The near-vertical descent of the plane, they believe, would've required intentional force. The numbers arent reasonable, says Cox. Local authorities dispatched 450 firefighters to the scene of the accident. The crash has caused shock in China, where President Xi Jinping has ordered an immediate investigation to determine the cause. That's about all that is known for certain about the unusual. Watch the video above for more on the aftermath of the crash A China Eastern flight carrying 132 people crashed Monday. In mid April, China Eastern returned some 737-800s to service, data from flight tracking sites and Cirium shows. May 17, 2022, 1:06 PM. What we know about the plane The China Eastern Airlines plane was a Boeing 737-800, the most popular version of Boeing's jets now in service and the workhorse of many. It briefly leveled off and climbed from 7,400ft (2,300m) to 8,600ft (2,600m), but then plunged downwards again, reaching a final recorded altitude of 3,225ft (983m) less than two minutes after the beginning of the descent, with a maximum descent rate of nearly 31,000 feet (9,400m) per minute. A sudden human input to the plane's controls appears to have caused a China Eastern flight to plunge nearly vertically into the mountains of Southern China in March, killing all 132 passengers onboard, according to preliminary findings from US authorities investigating the crash. 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