Contains information related to emergency landing
"Seems like only necessary parts were taken" speculation
Government joint investigation team begins analysis after collection
A part of the operating manual for the Boeing 737-800 model was found at the site of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster. Photo by MBN
At the Jeju Air disaster site, part of the aircraft operation manual was found torn off by hand in a hurried manner. Experts speculate that the captain referred to this just before the accident occurred.
According to an MBN report on the 2nd, two or three sheets of paper densely filled with figures were found around the accident site. These are believed to be parts of the operation manual that were ejected from the aircraft involved in the accident. Also known as the QRH (Quick Reference Handbook), this manual is a thick guidebook totaling 2,000 pages, with two copies placed in each aircraft within reach of both the captain and first officer in the cockpit.
The discovered pages contained information on the minimum distance the Boeing 737-800 model can fly with the landing gear (the device necessary for takeoff and landing, such as airplane wheels) deployed at minimum power. Some pages also included procedures for "water ditching," an emergency landing on water. Professor Kim Kwang-il of the Department of Aviation Operations at Shilla University said, "Since it is impossible to spread out and view the entire manual, it seems that in an urgent situation, only the necessary parts were torn out and referred to for judgment," interpreting it as evidence of efforts to land the aircraft with both engines shut down. The manual fragments were collected by the government joint investigation team and are currently under analysis.
On the 29th of last month, a Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 181 passengers collided with the outer wall of the runway while landing at Muan International Airport, causing a fire and resulting in a major disaster with most passengers deceased. Firefighters are searching for casualties among the wreckage of the accident aircraft on the runway at Muan International Airport, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung
Earlier, on the 29th of last month, Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which departed from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand, attempted a belly landing (landing by sliding on the aircraft fuselage without the wheels deployed) on the runway at Muan Airport with the landing gear not extended. However, after about 10 seconds, the aircraft veered approximately 300 meters off the runway and collided with a concrete outer wall, resulting in a loud crash and the aircraft being severely damaged, with most of the fuselage engulfed in flames. There were 181 people on board, including 175 passengers and 6 crew members. According to the Fire Agency's tally, except for two rescued crew members, all 179 passengers perished. Consequently, the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster remains the deadliest aviation accident in South Korea. Choi Sang-mok, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Strategy and Finance, declared Muan a special disaster zone and designated a seven-day national mourning period until midnight on the 4th.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
