South Korean authorities investigating the fatal Jeju Air plane crash last month have submitted a preliminary accident report to the United Nations aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as authorities in the United States, France, and Thailand, CNN reports.
The report, released on Monday, details initial findings while acknowledging the ongoing nature of the investigation.
The crash, which remains the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil, occurred on December 29 when a Boeing 737-800 jet arriving from Bangkok overshot the runway at Muan International Airport while attempting an emergency belly landing. The plane then crashed into the localizer structure, a navigational aid, resulting in the deaths of all but two of the 181 passengers and crew members.
The preliminary report focuses on the potential role of a “bird strike” in the accident. Investigators are also analyzing the aircraft’s engines and the localizer structure, which guides planes during landing approaches. Experts have suggested the reinforced concrete and earth structure supporting the localizer’s antennae was likely a contributing factor to the disaster.
The ICAO requires that preliminary reports be submitted within 30 days of an accident, and encourages that a final report be made public within 12 months.
The preliminary report aligns with information shared with the victims’ families on Saturday, including the pilots’ discussion of a flock of birds sighted during the final approach. However, the exact timing of the reported bird strike remains unconfirmed. The report indicates that the aircraft declared an emergency due to a bird strike while performing a “go-around” maneuver.
Notably, the report does not explain why the aircraft’s two data recorders ceased functioning simultaneously just before the pilots issued a mayday call. The black boxes stopped recording when the aircraft was flying at an altitude of 498 feet at a speed of 161 knots.
