Deadliest Plane Crash in South Korea’s History Underscores Risks of Bird Strikes
The tragic crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in South Korea has brought renewed attention to the dangers birds can pose to commercial aircraft.
Shortly before declaring a Mayday, the pilots reported a collision with a flock of birds to air traffic control, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The aircraft attempted an emergency landing at Muan International Airport but crashed during the process.
Footage from the incident on Sunday showed the Boeing 787-800 making a belly landing without deploying its landing gear. The plane skidded across the runway, struck a concrete wall, and erupted into flames, leaving 179 of the 181 passengers and crew dead. This marks the deadliest aviation accident in South Korea’s history.
While bird strikes are a known hazard, experts suggest they rarely result in catastrophic failures for modern aircraft. Dane Williams, director of Aviation Safety Asia, emphasized the unlikelihood of a bird strike causing the crash, stating, “The engines are designed to expel foreign objects.”
Geoffrey Thomas, editor-in-chief of Airline Ratings, proposed that a combination of factors likely led to the crash. He noted the plane’s systems failed to transmit ADS-B data after the Mayday call, adding, “It appears the pilots were managing cascading failures. They didn’t deploy their flaps or undercarriage, which raises significant questions.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with South Korean authorities collaborating with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
Bird strikes are not uncommon in aviation. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reported nearly 19,400 wildlife strikes in 2023 at U.S. airports alone, with most resulting in minor damage. However, past incidents, such as the famous emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in 2009, demonstrate the potential severity of such encounters.
Doug Drury, an aviation expert at CQUniversity in Australia, questioned the sequence of events during the emergency landing. “Pilots are trained to slow the aircraft to minimize ground run distance. Why wasn’t the runway prepared with flame-retardant foam?” he asked.
Drury also criticized the lack of bird deterrent systems at Muan International Airport, such as sound cannons or lasers, which had been delayed due to ongoing construction.
In response to the tragedy, Acting President Choi Sang-mok declared a week of national mourning and ordered comprehensive inspections of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft in operation within the country. He also directed an extensive review of South Korea’s aviation safety systems to prevent future accidents.
Environmental considerations may also come under scrutiny, with experts like Williams suggesting authorities reassess airport locations that overlap with migratory bird routes.
As the investigation continues, South Korea faces a moment of national grief, with flags flying at half-mast and efforts underway to identify the victims and support their families.
