South Korea is taking steps to enhance runway safety following a fatal crash that killed 179 people. The country will replace or bury concrete barriers near runways at seven airports, including the nation’s largest and second-largest, after investigators found they were too close to the end of the runway. This decision aims to prevent similar accidents in the future. The crash occurred during an emergency landing at Muan International Airport after a Boeing B737-800 crashed into a concrete barrier following a Christmas evacuation flight from Thailand. Safety experts noted that if the structure had been closer, casualties could have been significantly lower. Investigators are reviewing previous documents and will continue their probe to determine the cause of the crash. The concrete barriers help pilots navigate runways and avoid obstacles. In 2024, an operating manual for Muan International Airport recommended moving the concrete barrier further back during a runway expansion project. Chris Kingswood, a pilot with over 48 years of experience, emphasized that fragile obstacles are necessary to limit runway overshoot damage. The runway safety areas at Muan and Jeju International Airports were shorter than the recommended 240 meters (787 feet), according to findings from the investigation. Additional details include the passengers’ demographics, the pilot’s pre-flight warning about a bird strike, and how flight data recorders stopped functioning before impact.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0e4qgj41g8o