Investigators from ARAIB stood outside a room at Muan Airport on July 19, 2025, while families of crash victims gathered in protest before the scheduled briefing on the December 29 plane crash investigation. THE CHOSUN Daily
A new report says the deadly Jeju Air crash last December happened because the pilot turned off the wrong engine. South Korea’s aviation board shared this finding with victims’ families on July 19. The crash took place at Muan International Airport and claimed 179 lives.
The plane's right engine got badly damaged after hitting birds during landing. Instead of shutting down that engine, the pilot shut down the left one, which was still working. This mistake left the plane with no working engine. Power was lost completely, and the landing gear never came down.
Family Members Voice Strong Opposition
Victims' families gathered at Muan Airport for a private briefing. Officials planned to release the report to the media afterward. But families objected strongly, so the press briefing was canceled.
One family member said, “The board is ignoring issues like the concrete slope at the runway’s end and possible mechanical defects, and is simply blaming the pilot, which we cannot accept.”
Voice Recordings Reveal Confusion
Data shows the pilot told crew to shut down engine number two, which is the right engine. But flight records revealed the left engine—engine number one—was turned off instead. Experts believe the pilot got confused in the high-stress moment.
The investigation confirmed the left engine had no problems. Its systems worked normally. The shutdown happened because the pilot used the fuel cutoff switch, not due to any failure.
Bird Strike Confirmed as Initial Cause
On December 29, 2023, at 8:57 a.m., air traffic control warned the crew about birds in the area. Just a minute later, the pilot reported hitting birds and called “Mayday.” Flames burst from the right engine. Feathers and duck blood were later found in both engines.
At first, experts thought both engines failed due to the bird strike. But the latest findings say only the right engine was affected. The left engine failed due to human error.
Pilot Error Made Emergency Landing Impossible
Investigators found that during the emergency, the pilot also used the fire extinguisher on the left engine. That move made it impossible to restart that engine in the air. With both engines off, the plane had no power.
The landing gear never came down. Officials said the pilot didn’t even activate the lever to deploy the wheels. The plane crash-landed on its belly.
Similar Cases Have Happened Before
This kind of mistake is not common but has happened before. In 2015, a plane in Taiwan crashed because the pilot shut down the wrong engine. That crash killed 43 people.
Families and Union Say Investigation Is One-Sided
Victims’ families and the pilots’ union believe the report focuses only on pilot error. They say other issues, like runway safety and poor training, also played a role. The union added that key government agencies under investigation were let off the hook.
The board said it would continue looking into the pilots' training and other factors before finishing its final report.
