South Korean officials are investigating how the flight data and cockpit voice recorders on Jeju Airlines Flight 2216 stopped recording four minutes before the 737-800 smashed into a concrete antenna structure at Muan Airport two weeks ago. The prominent theory being floated so far is that the aircraft somehow lost all electrical power, which is supported by the fact that ADS-B ceased to broadcast at the same time. Investigators say the loss of the recorder data is significant but there are other ways to determine the cause. “CVR and FDR data are important for accident investigation, but the investigation is carried out through investigation and analysis of various data (not just two data sources),” and “We plan to do our best to determine the exact cause of the accident.” South Korean officials said.
We can see one engine still running on the landing, therefore a generator is working? Otherwise to think that 2 generators, 2 batteries died at the same time is beyond belief, yet appears to have happened.
I know the idea is not to speculate or “arm chair” investigate but man, nothing about this accident seems “normal” relative to accidents. I can accept a bird strike taking out two engines, we got a real life example, but since they did a go around there must have been power in one and as has been said before, a plane could have flown, in an again normal engine out, a more stable approach.
Four minutes is a long time in regards to an accident. Would the CVR transcripts be made public at some point, because maybe many are not investigators, but at least having an understanding before the power stops helps reduce anxiety in many over flying and as always can be a learning experience.
This accident sure is raising more questions then answers at the moment.
I believe that the requirement for the CVR (not sure about the FDR) to have an independent backup battery applies to airplanes built starting in 2010, and the 737 in this crash was built in 2009, so it wasn’t required to have one.
This accident is just an avalanche of bad luck, apparently. They hit a flock of birds, landed at an airport with a friggin’ concrete wall at the end of the runway, and the plane just missed the cutoff for having a backup battery. The investigators really have their work cut out for them.
And these are recorders which in other instances have survived being crashed at 800 kph into mountains, and two years under the sea at incredible depths.
Forgive me for being cynical, but who benefits from not having crash data recorded?
Not the families of victims, that is for sure.
Boeing shareholders… maybe. It is a horrifying situation.
As a 31 year airline pilot for the life of me I can’t figure WHY you would do a go around for a bird strike??? After a bird strike there’s NO salvation by going BACK up into the air ! Especially in an area that is notamed to have high bird activity. Makes absolutely no sense to me.
Absolutely. If you declare an emergency and you already are on final approach and are configured to land, then LAND.
My only guess is that the foreign pilots on a budget airline were following their airline “policies” that put saving the airframe ahead of all else. That would explain them pulling up to try and do everything possible to save the airframe; but then they found themselves in a worse off position. It might even explain them killing the CVR and ADS-B to avoid repercussions to themselves or the business. All pure conjecture on my part.
In the end, this accident will most likely be blamed on pilot error. If the crew pulled the fire suppression handles on both engines, they would shutdown both engines.
Now I was thinking that it’s awful convenient that the last 4 minutes was missing. I took a more conspiratorial turn and thought about that data just being deleted by “investigators”. But this sounds even more plausible. Pilots turning off the CVR fully expecting to survive and wanted cover for something they did or didn’t do.
And these are recorders which in other instances have survived being crashed at 800 kph into mountains, and two years under the sea at incredible depths.
These recorders survived as well, they simply stopped recording.
Not really, the data is still missing, if you believe the investigators and I see no reason not to. Either wiped or not recorded when the devices are set to record each flight with crew not being able to erase / turn off…