"Did They Try to Prevent or Cause the Crash?" New Evidence Emerges Four Years After China Eastern Airlines Disaster That Claimed 132 Lives

Aviation Experts: "Possibility of Conflict Between Pilots"


Final Investigation Report From Chinese Authorities Still Unreleased

New evidence supporting the possibility that the cause of the China Eastern Airlines MU5735 crash, in which all 132 passengers aboard perished in 2022, was intentional manipulation within the cockpit has been revealed.

On May 8, Yonhap News, citing foreign media outlets such as the Associated Press and The New York Times, reported that aviation experts who participated in the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation are focusing on the possibility of a conflict between pilots as the cause of the China Eastern Airlines MU5735 crash.

Wreckage of the China Eastern Airlines passenger plane at the crash site in Teng County, Wuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, in 2022. Photo by Xinhua News Agency

Previously, flight data released by the NTSB in response to a recent information disclosure request included records showing that both engine fuel switches on the aircraft were moved from the "on" position to the "cutoff" position during the flight. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800 operated by China Eastern Airlines, which departed from Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, on March 21, 2022, bound for Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, but crashed into mountainous terrain near Wuzhou in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. All 132 people on board died.

The New York Times, citing NTSB data, reported that while the aircraft was cruising at about 29,000 feet (approximately 8,800 meters), both engine fuel switches were simultaneously moved to the cutoff position, after which the engine revolutions decreased. The fuel switches on a Boeing 737 are known to be physical devices that require a pilot to pull the switch to unlock it before moving, rather than being easily moved by simple contact.

Evidence Confirms Intentional Crash, Including Both Engine Fuel Cutoff

This information is reigniting suspicions of an "intentional crash" that have persisted since the accident. According to the Associated Press, citing aviation safety experts, the flight data shows that both engine fuel supplies were cut off and that the aircraft experienced a steep dive and a 360-degree roll. However, it was also noted that the data alone cannot definitively determine who manipulated the controls or with what intent.

In 2022, at the crash site of the China Eastern Airlines passenger plane in Wuzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, rescuers bowed their heads together in a moment of silence to pray for the victims. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti analyzed that the movement of the control column was not smoothly continuous in one direction but moved back and forth repeatedly, suggesting that someone in the cockpit may have tried to prevent the initial manipulation. Aviation safety consultant John Cox also saw the likelihood of the fuel switches being accidentally cut off as low, but was cautious, stating that the evidence is not decisive enough to confirm a struggle in the cockpit.

The NTSB participated in the investigation because the aircraft model and engines were manufactured by U.S. companies. The aircraft’s flight data recorder (FDR) was sent to the NTSB laboratory in Washington, D.C., for analysis. However, the contents of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), which could be key to determining the cause of the crash, were not released. The Associated Press reported that although the CVR operated longer due to a battery backup, the authority to disclose its contents rests with Chinese authorities.

No Final Investigation Report Released Even Four Years After the Accident

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has not released a final investigation report, even though four years have passed since the accident. Reuters reported that Chinese authorities have not disclosed any annual updates on the progress of the investigation over the past two years. Both the CAAC and China Eastern Airlines did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson also avoided answering questions about the U.S. data during a regular briefing.

New evidence has been revealed supporting the possibility that the cause of the crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735, in which all 132 passengers on board died in 2022, was intentional manipulation inside the cockpit. Global Times

At the time of the accident, Chinese authorities stated that no immediate anomalies were found in the airframe, crew, weather, or other external factors. The recently released NTSB data also reportedly did not directly point to any inherent safety defects of the aircraft itself. As a result, whether there was intentional manipulation in the cockpit is expected to become the central issue in the final investigation report for the MU5735 crash. However, the data released this time is not the final accident investigation report. Aviation experts strongly suggest that fuel cutoff, rapid descent, and irregular control column movements indicate the possibility of intentional manipulation, but they emphasize that it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the cause of the crash until the cockpit voice recordings and the final determination by Chinese authorities are disclosed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.