Minutes before Jeju Air Flight 2216 crash-landed, resulting in the deaths of 179 people in December, investigators found that the pilots had shut down the engine that was less damaged by a bird strike, leaving the aircraft operating on just one compromised engine that later caught fire.
This shutdown likely caused a loss of electrical power and removed the main source of thrust, complicating the pilots' ability to execute a safe landing. With limited power, the aircraft attempted to land without its landing gear deployed, ultimately sliding on its belly and colliding with a concrete wall at the end of the runway, igniting a fire. Only two flight attendants survived, while all passengers and other crew members perished.
The recent findings, which were part of an interim report presented to the victims' families, have intensified scrutiny regarding the pilots' management of the emergency landing after the bird strike, which damaged both engines. U.S. experts suggested that there is a possibility the pilots may have misidentified the engine that needed to be shut down, although they noted that it is premature to draw definitive conclusions.
Aviation safety expert Joe Jacobsen indicated that if the pilots lost their displays following the bird strike, they may have lacked clear indicators of which engine was damaged, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive cockpit data before forming conclusions.
The flight recorders, which require electrical power to function, ceased operation five seconds after the left engine was shut down, resulting in gaps in information regarding the events that transpired in the final minutes, including an attempted go-around and the emergency landing. Key questions remain about why the landing gear was not manually deployed after significant power loss and whether the backup generator was operational.
The interim report indicated that no pre-existing defects were found in either engine, following an analysis by American, French, and South Korean investigators conducted from May to June.
The report led to protests from the victims' relatives, who were briefed privately on the findings. Family representatives expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the report lacked sufficient evidence regarding the crash's cause while seemingly attributing blame to the bird strike and the pilots.
A planned news conference to publicly release the findings was abruptly canceled after some relatives disrupted the proceedings. Ko Jae-seung, a member of the relatives’ delegation, reported that many families felt the findings were premature and insufficiently supported by evidence.
Investigators informed the families that both engines were operating with vibration after the bird strike, indicating potential damage, and confirmed that feathers were found in both engines. The right engine also showed signs of a surge, indicating compressor damage that led to fire and smoke, although it was still producing power just prior to the plane landing on its fuselage.
While U.S. aviation experts noted that the right engine might have provided some thrust due to combustion from the fire, it was insufficient to maintain flight. Previous fatal incidents, such as the 1989 Kegworth Air disaster and the 2015 TransAsia Airways crash, demonstrated that misidentifying a malfunctioning engine can result in catastrophic outcomes, as crews in those cases shut down functioning engines, leading to significant loss of life.
Aviation experts highlighted that a loss of engine power reduces thrust and electrical generation, leaving pilots to rely on manual controls and emergency protocols. John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member, explained that pilots can typically identify failing engines under normal conditions, but complications arise when systems fail or data becomes unreliable, stating, “If the instruments go dark, there’s very little to go on.”
In simulators, pilots practice these scenarios based on real-life incidents, but training has limitations. Goglia noted that in situations like this, pilots often lose significant functionality and information.
Investigators have yet to disclose the status of cockpit displays following the bird strike and aim to complete the investigation by next June. Jacobsen cautioned against jumping to conclusions, stating that if both engines were damaged and the pilots had no means of knowing, it would significantly alter the situation.