South Korea’s deadliest air disaster, which killed 181 people, has been attributed to pilot error in a report released earlier this month. However, victims’ families have criticized the investigation, arguing that it ignores other contributing factors.
According to the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, a pilot mistakenly shut off the wrong engine during the flight. The left engine, found to be undamaged by investigators, was turned off instead of the right engine, which had been damaged by a bird strike. The plane made a belly landing without its landing gear and crashed into a concrete barrier at Muan International Airport.
Families of the victims claim that the report’s focus on pilot error overlooks the airport’s role in the accident. They argue that removing the concrete barriers at seven airports, ordered by South Korea’s transport ministry after the crash, would have significantly reduced the impact.
The Jeju Air pilots’ union has also criticized the findings, stating that they allegedly prioritize pilots’ misjudgment over other contributing factors. The investigation’s lead investigator was quoted as saying that there is “clear evidence and backup data” to support their conclusions, but it remains unclear if they will revise their report in response to family demands for a more transparent investigation.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g812eyy28o