Black Boxes Cease Recording Four Minutes Before Jeju Air Flight 2216 Crash

According to reports from Reuters, investigators have uncovered that the black boxes; both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) on Jeju Air (7C) Flight 7C2216 ceased recording approximately four minutes before the aircraft’s fatal crash at South Korea’s Muan International Airport (MWX) on December 29, 2024.

Analysis of Jeju Air Black Boxes

On January 2, the South Korean Ministry of Transport announced that initial analysis of the CVR had been conducted domestically but proved unsuccessful due to missing data. Subsequently, the CVR and the damaged FDR were sent to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for further examination.

South Korean Deputy Minister for Civil Aviation Joo Jong-wan stated,

“The damaged flight data recorder has been deemed irrecoverable for data extraction domestically”

He added that the decision to collaborate with the NTSB was made to enhance the likelihood of recovering vital information.

Details of Jeju Air Crash

Jeju Air‘s Boeing 737-800 faced complications during landing, ultimately striking a concrete structure and erupting into flames. Of the 181 people on board, only two crew members located in the tail section survived the crash. The tragedy has triggered public outrage and scrutiny over aviation safety protocols in South Korea.

In light of the disaster, South Korean Transport Minister Park Sang-woo expressed his intention to resign, citing his “heavy responsibility” for the incident. The ministry also pledged to address concerns about the runway embankment design at MWX, which experts have criticized for posing safety risks during landings.

Factors Behind Black Box Failures

While the investigation into Flight 7C2216 is ongoing, black boxes can stop recording for several reasons:

1. Power failure: Loss of electrical power can cause the recorders to shut down.
2. Physical damage: Severe impact or extreme conditions during a crash may render the devices inoperable.
3. Technical malfunction: Internal faults can lead to recording failures.
4. Deliberate deactivation: In rare cases, recording devices may be manually turned off by the crew.
5. Data overwrite: Some older black boxes overwrite data after a set period, though modern recorders are designed to store information for the duration of a flight.

A notable parallel was observed in January 2023 when the CVR of Alaska Airlines Flight AS1282 was found to have been completely overwritten. NTSB Chair Jennifer L. Homendy has repeatedly advocated for extending CVR recording times from two hours to 25 hours, in line with European standards. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed this change, but only for newly manufactured aircraft, leaving older planes unaffected.

Investigators confirmed that feathers were found in one of the engines, corroborating the pilots’ report of a bird strike four minutes before the crash. However, this alone does not explain why the aircraft’s landing gear and flaps were not deployed.

It remains unclear whether the landing gear and flaps were overlooked during the pre-landing checklist or if they malfunctioned. Additionally, the pilots did not communicate any such issues to air traffic control, raising further questions about the sequence of events.

Modern aircraft are engineered to withstand significant bird strikes and execute belly landings safely. Given MWX’s shorter runway and apparent lack of emergency-handling capabilities, experts are questioning why the flight was not diverted to a nearby airport with more suitable infrastructure.

The ongoing investigation is a collaborative effort involving South Korean authorities, the NTSB, and Boeing. As part of this effort, investigators have compiled a full transcript of the CVR recordings, which they may choose to disclose at a later stage.

Additionally, the police investigation has broadened to examine Jeju Air’s operations and the management of Muan International Airport. Authorities have conducted raids at both entities as they seek to determine the causes of the deadliest aviation disaster in South Korea’s history.

• Featured image by Masakatsu Ukon

Youssef Yahya

Youssef Yahya is the CEO and Founder of Aviation for Aviators, a platform dedicated to the aviation industry. With over 3 years of experience as an aviation writer, Youssef is passionate about sharing his insights on aviation, entrepreneurship, and the broader business landscape. As a Teaching Assistant in Entrepreneurship at Nile University, he also nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs. When he’s not exploring the skies or business ventures, you can find him saying, ‘Drag your coffee, and let’s talk aviation, entrepreneurship, and football.’

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