nos.nl
South Korea Plane Crash: Flight Recorders Silent Before Impact
A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at South Korea's Muan Airport on December 29th, killing 179 people, after its landing gear failed to deploy; both flight recorders stopped recording four minutes prior, prompting a US-led investigation.
- Why did the flight data and cockpit voice recorders of the Jeju Air flight 7C2216 fail to record data in the crucial minutes before the crash?
- On December 29th, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan Airport in South Korea, resulting in 179 fatalities and only two surviving crew members. The plane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders stopped recording approximately four minutes before impact, raising crucial questions about the cause of the crash. Investigators are currently analyzing the recorders in the US, seeking to understand why data acquisition ceased before the accident.
- What are the potential causes of the simultaneous failure of both the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, considering the typical redundancy in aircraft power systems?
- The South Korean Ministry of Transport reports that both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the crashed Jeju Air flight ceased functioning four minutes before the plane crashed at Muan Airport. This unusual failure, despite the redundant power systems typical of these devices, has prompted an investigation by South Korean and US authorities. The recorders were sent to the US National Transportation Safety Board for analysis due to missing data.
- What specific technical analyses will be necessary to determine whether the recorders were switched off intentionally or if a systemic failure occurred in the aircraft's power system?
- The cessation of data recording four minutes before the crash of flight 7C2216 presents a critical challenge for investigators. Determining whether the power failure was intentional or accidental, and understanding the relationship between any potential pilot actions and the malfunction, are crucial for establishing the cause of the crash. The analysis of the damaged recorders in the US will be vital for understanding the sequence of events leading up to the accident.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames the narrative around the mystery of the black box failure, emphasizing the unanswered questions and expert speculation. This focus directs attention away from broader considerations, such as the safety protocols of Jeju Air or the overall safety of Boeing 737-800 models. The headline itself could be considered sensationalist, focusing on the unusual black box failure rather than the tragic loss of life.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral, except for the potentially loaded term "very strange" used to describe the black box failure. This could be replaced with a more neutral term, such as "unusual.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the failure of the black boxes and the resulting investigation, but omits details about potential contributing factors beyond the immediate technical malfunction. While the bird strike is mentioned, the extent of its impact and other possible causes (maintenance issues, pilot error etc.) are not explored. This omission limits the reader's ability to form a complete understanding of the causes of the crash.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a false dichotomy by implying that the only explanation for the black box failure is either a complete power outage or intentional shutdown. It neglects the possibility of other technical malfunctions affecting the recording devices, or even the possibility of data corruption due to the impact of the crash itself.