As authorities investigate South Korea's deadliest aviation incident, experts question the presence of a concrete wall near the runway, suggesting its role in the crash might have contributed to the tragic loss of lives.
Investigating the Fatal Plane Crash in South Korea: The Wall's Controversial Role
Investigating the Fatal Plane Crash in South Korea: The Wall's Controversial Role
Examination of the implications of a concrete wall near the runway in South Korea's devastating plane crash that killed 179 people.
Aviation experts are raising concerns about the presence of a "unusual" concrete wall located near the runway of Muan International Airport, following a tragic plane crash that resulted in the deaths of 179 individuals. Video evidence captured the moment when a Jeju Air plane veered off the runway, colliding with the wall and igniting a catastrophic fire.
Investigators are examining the wall's placement, situated approximately 250 meters (820 feet) from the runway's end. Air safety analyst David Learmount expressed that without this "obstruction," the aircraft could have stopped safely, potentially sparing many lives. The pilot reported encountering a bird strike, leading to an aborted landing and a subsequent second attempt from the opposite direction. However, the aircraft landed significantly down the runway without deploying its landing gear.
Learmount described the landing itself as well-executed under the circumstances, indicating that the damage occurred not from the landing but from the subsequent collision with the structure. Lufthansa pilot Christian Beckert described the concrete wall as an atypical feature for an airport and noted that such installations typically shouldn't be rigid.
According to South Korean news outlets, the concrete wall is a support structure for a localizer navigation system, built to elevate the equipment for optimal functionality. However, country's transport ministry is now evaluating the appropriateness of constructing such a barrier in a rigid form, especially in light of the incident.
Pilot Chris Kingswood highlighted the need for obstacles near runways to be designed to break upon impact, raising questions about the airport's adherence to safety standards. He pointed out that a rigid barrier could lead to severe consequences if struck by an aircraft moving at high speeds.
The ongoing investigation seeks to uncover whether the pilots were informed about the presence of the wall, especially since they approached the landing from an atypical direction. Aviation analyst Sally Gethin stressed the importance of analyzing the control tower's instructions given to the pilots regarding the runway usage.
Overall, this tragic incident has raised myriad questions about aviation safety protocols and the precise factors that contributed to this catastrophic event.
