Mon Jan 27 13:42:10 IST 2025: ## Bird Strike Suspected in Fatal South Korean Plane Crash: Preliminary Report
SEOUL, South Korea – A preliminary investigation into South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster reveals the presence of Baikal teal duck remains in both engines of the Boeing 737-800 that crashed on December 29th, killing 179 people. The six-page report, released Monday by South Korean authorities, details the discovery of bird bloodstains and feathers, along with DNA confirming the presence of the migratory ducks.
The Jeju Air plane, en route from Thailand to Muan, crashed and burst into flames after a failed landing attempt, impacting a concrete barrier at the end of the runway. While the report notes the pilots sighted birds approaching runway 01 and a security camera captured the plane’s proximity to a flock, it stops short of definitively concluding a bird strike as the cause of the crash.
Intriguingly, both the voice and data recorders ceased functioning just one minute after air traffic control warned the pilots about potential bird strikes, while the plane was only 152 meters (500 feet) and 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the runway. Seconds later, the pilots declared a Mayday due to a suspected bird strike and attempted a belly landing. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are exploring why the recorders failed and why a concrete barrier, now slated for replacement nationwide, was at the end of the runway.
The experienced crew, the captain with over 6,800 flight hours and the first officer with 1,650, perished in the crash, along with 177 passengers. Only two flight attendants survived. The investigation, involving South Korean, US, and other international authorities, is continuing to determine the exact cause of the crash. A final report is expected within 12 months.
First Piper 