Plane crash in South Korea

The recent plane crash in South Korea, which resulted in the deaths of 179 people, has raised serious questions about aviation safety, particularly regarding the concrete wall near the runway. Experts have raised concerns about the role of this wall in the crash, as they believe that if the wall had not been there, the outcome could have been different. Let’s take a detailed look at all the important aspects of the incident:

Incident Details:

The crash occurred on December 29, 2024, at Muan International Airport in South Korea. The Jeju Air plane, after running off the runway, collided with a concrete wall, which immediately caught fire, killing all 179 people on board.

The footage of the crash clearly shows the plane running off the runway and hitting the concrete wall, causing the fire. Experts have pointed out that such walls are unusual because typically, there are no such walls at the end of the runway.

Importance of the Concrete Wall:

According to South Korea’s Ministry of Transport, similar concrete structures have been installed at some other airports in the country and abroad. These structures typically have a navigation system that aids in landing. However, aviation experts argue that it is unusual to have such a concrete wall at the end of the runway.

Experts’ Opinions:

1. David Learmount (Aviation Expert): David Learmount stated that if the concrete wall had not been there, the plane would likely have stopped at the end of the runway, and most of the passengers could have survived. He also noted that the plane’s landing was “flapless/gearless,” meaning it had a level wings configuration, which is typically safe in such situations.
2. Christian Beckert (Lufthansa Airline Pilot): Christian Beckert called the concrete wall “unusual,” stating that normally there are no such walls at the end of a runway. He emphasized that such structures at the end of a runway can increase the severity of accidents.
3. Chris Kingswood (Pilot with 48 years of experience): Chris Kingswood explained that runways should have “weakened” obstacles within a certain distance, meaning that if a plane hits such obstacles, they should break or absorb the impact to minimize damage. He believed that the presence of the wall caused the damage, and if the wall had not been there, the plane could have stopped.

The Pilot’s Role:

The pilot reported that the plane collided with a bird, prompting him to change the landing approach and request permission to land from the opposite direction. The plane came down on the 2,800-meter runway and appeared to land without using its landing gear. Experts believe that this type of landing could lead to a risky situation, but the main cause of the accident was the concrete wall, not the landing itself.

Experts’ Concerns:

Aviation analyst Sally Gething raised the question of whether the pilot was aware of the concrete wall at the end of the runway. She emphasized that it is crucial to determine if the control tower had instructed the pilot to stop using the runway a second time, and this should come to light during the investigation of the black box.

Statement from South Korea’s Ministry of Transport:

In response to the incident, South Korea’s Ministry of Transport said that similar concrete structures have been installed at some other airports, both domestically and internationally, along with equipment like navigation systems. However, the ministry stated that it would investigate whether these concrete walls could be made weaker so that they would break more easily in the event of a collision.

Safety Measures and Recommendations:

Aviation experts have stressed the importance of minimizing risks from any obstacles on or near the runway. These obstacles should be “weakened” so that if a plane hits them, they will break and cause less damage to the aircraft. The experts also suggested that airports should review whether such structures are safe and consider redesigning them to prevent future accidents.

Conclusion:

This crash has raised serious concerns about aviation safety in South Korea, particularly regarding concrete walls at the end of the runway. Experts agree that such walls should be “weakened” so that they do not cause significant harm if a plane crashes into them. Following this incident, many experts are also recommending that pilots be made fully aware of the presence of such structures at the end of the runway to help them plan their landing strategies more effectively.