Boeing 737 crashes in China killing all 132 people two-minute death plunge: Boeing 737 went into sudden terrifying 350mph dive and smashed into mountainside in China killing all 132 people onboard
Experts have warned that a Boeing 737 that crashed to the ground and broke into flames in China, killing all 132 people on board, suffered a catastrophic ‘loss of control event’ and plummeted to the earth at 350mph in a two-minute death spiral.
During a nosedive before crashing into a hillside, the China Eastern Airlines airplane caused a massive fireball and a forest fire visible from space, near the city of Wuzhou in Teng county in the southern province of Guangxi. The fire could be seen on NASA satellite photographs taken from space.
Boeing 737 crashes in China killing all 132 people
A rescue officer reportedly stated that the plane had entirely disintegrated, and that a fire triggered by the collision had ripped through bamboo and trees before being extinguished completely. China Eastern Airlines extended its’sincere condolences’ after confirming the deaths of 123 passengers and nine crew members onboard the flight. The airline also stated that all of the dead were Chinese.
What, in the opinion of specialists, may have caused the horrific disaster that is suspected to have killed all 132 people aboard?
Experts believe that MU5735 was brought down as a result of a ‘loss of control event.’
However, they also mentioned the possibility of other factors contributing to the plane’s downing, such as:
• Stagnation at high altitude
An ‘high altitude stall,’ which caused the aircraft to lose power, may have caused the aircraft to nosedive. According to Arthur Rowe, expert fellow in gas turbine performance and operability at Cranfield University’s Centre for Propulsion Engineering, this could have resulted in the loss of control event.
Russia is attempting to starve Mariupol into submission
• Controls are not working properly.
Another possibility is that the controls in the cockpit were not functioning properly. Professor Rowe speculated that they may have become ‘jammed,’ and that ‘unresponsive control surfaces, particularly on the tail,’ may have contributed to the plane’s downing.
• Sabotage:
There were also concerns that sabotage could have played a role, although this was ruled out due to the fact that the airplane was a local flight in China. Professor Rowe said that the Covid entry limits into the country lessened the likelihood of this being the cause of the incident.
• No engine problems: According to the expert, the plane did not go down as a result of any problems with the engines. Professor Rowe pointed out that airplanes can “fly perfectly fine” without using their engines, but he cautioned that this is only true for a limited period of time.
• Sensory issues, such as ice protection failures: Sensory issues, such as ice protection failures, could also have contributed to the plane’s loss of control. Tao Yang, an associate professor of engineering at Nottingham University, stated that ‘the majority of plane accidents are caused by sensor failure – ice protection fails’ in most cases. Boeing 737 crashes in China killing all 132 people
On social media, horrifying CCTV footage purportedly showing the plane rushing vertically towards the ground in the seconds before the crash has surfaced.
At 2.20pm, FlightRadar tracking data indicated that the aircraft was traveling at 29,100ft. A little more than two minutes later, it had dropped to just over 9,000 feet, and 20 seconds after that, it had down to only 3,225 feet. The data suggests a vertical descent at a rate of 31,000 feet per minute, or around 350 miles per hour.
Netflix’s service in Russia has been suspended
President Xi Jinping expressed “shock” at the tragedy and promptly requested a probe into the circumstances surrounding it.
According to aviation experts, the sudden dip and crash may have been caused by a ‘loss of control incident, maybe following a high altitude stall of the aircraft’ or a sensory breakdown in the cockpit, which was not immediately obvious.
The plane, which was flying from Kunming to Guangzhou under the flight number MU5735, is likely to be a Boeing 737-89P, which is not a member of the MAX series, which has been plagued by issues in recent months.
The crash will rekindle calls for China to improve its aviation safety record, which is generally seen as good but which, according to reports, has been hampered by a lack of transparency in the reporting of safety violations.
As reported by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the plane lost communication while flying over the city of Wuzhou.
China Eastern and the Boeing 737
A statement from the CAAC stated that it had activated the emergency mechanism and had dispatched a working group to the area.
Flight #MU5735, operated by China Eastern Airlines, was on its way from Kunming to Guangzhou, according to the Aviation Safety Network. ‘We are investigating multiple unconfirmed reports of a possible accident with a Boeing 737-89P (B-1791) on its way from Kunming to Guangzhou, China,’ the network said.
‘We were shocked to learn of the China Eastern MU5735 accident,’ President Xi stated.
He also urged for ‘all efforts’ to be made in the rescue effort as well as the investigation into the ’cause of the tragedy as soon as feasible.
An eyewitness told a local news outlet that the jet involved in the crash had ‘totally come apart,’ and that he had witnessed forest being devastated by the fire that had been sparked by the accident.
‘The specific location of the collision was Langnan township in Teng county,’ a local official confirmed.
NATO has urged Russia to “take a step back
Families of passengers onboard gathered in the Yunan branch of China Eastern Airlines late on Monday night, where they were assisted by personnel while they awaited word on the whereabouts of their loved ones.
FlightRadar24 data showed that the plane took off from Kunming, a city in China’s southwestern province, at 1.11pm (5.11pm GMT).
However, tracking terminated at 2.22pm (6.22am GMT) at a height of 3,225 feet and a speed of 376 knots, which was at the time of the tracking cessation.
According to FlightRadar24 data, the plane was travelling at an altitude of 29,100 feet around 6:20 a.m. GMT.
The next available data showed that it had dropped to 9,075 feet in little over two minutes and 15 seconds, according to the latest available data. During the next 20 seconds, it reached a final tracked altitude of 3,225 feet. It was scheduled to touch down in Guangzhou, on China’s east coast, at 3:05 p.m. (7.05am GMT).
In response to a request for comment, Boeing did not immediately react.
It was then revealed that the website of China Eastern Airlines had been shown in black and white, as airlines sometimes do in the aftermath of a catastrophe to show their respect for the presumed victims.
‘It appears to have been a loss of control event, potentially following a high altitude stall of the aircraft,’ said Arthur Rowe, expert fellow in gas turbine performance and operability at Cranfield University, in a statement to MailOnline.
As is always the case, there are a variety of plausible causes. One example is a control surface that is jammed or unresponsive, particularly on the tail.
One possible cause is a faulty mix of autopilot settings – I am not familiar with the specifics of this aircraft’s flight systems, however.
Due to the Covid limitations on entering the nation, sabotage is a possibility on a domestic Chinese aircraft, however it is improbable.
It’s unlikely to be an engine problem because airplanes can fly quite well without using their engines – albeit for just a short period of time.’
The engineering and physical sciences department at Southampton University’s Professor Bharath Ganapathisubramani added: ‘Having looked into this and discussed it with others, we believe that it is far too early to speculate on possible explanations.’
Assuming that either the Flight Data Recorder and slash or the Cockpit Voice Recorder can be recovered and made operational, we should know a great deal more about what happened within months, with a definite answer to what happened in a year or two – based on the typical timetables of such events.’
‘The plane was absolutely out of control,’ said Tao Yang, an associate professor of engineering at Nottingham University. ‘At this point, it is really impossible to determine what happened.’
The majority of plane accidents, on the other hand, are caused by sensor failure – ice protection fails.’
What happened in the two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes: What went wrong?
Following the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, which occurred less than six months apart, Boeing was obliged to ground the 737 Max.
The first disaster occurred on October 29, 2018, when a Boeing 737 Max, operating as Lion Air flight JT 610, crashed into the Java Sea 15 minutes after taking off from Indonesia.
The plane crashed, killing all 189 people on board, including 180 Indonesians, one Italian, and one Indian.
In the second disaster, Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302, which was also a Max jet, took off from Bole International Airport in the Ethiopian capital and crashed shortly after takeoff on March 10, 2019.
The plane crashed and all 157 people on board died. After the jet was grounded all around the world, US carriers American, United, and Southwest were forced to cancel flights for the holidays, including those over Christmas and into the New Year’s holiday season.
Customers cancelled contracts for 60 of the grounded 737 MAX jets in June, according to a Boeing report released on July 14, 2019.
The aircraft manufacturer has deleted another 123 planes from its backlog due to concerns about the completion of the transactions.
According to aviation data supplier OAG, China Eastern Airlines, which is owned by the Chinese government, is the world’s sixth-largest airline by scheduled weekly seat capacity and the largest airline in the country.
Despite the stringent restrictions on foreign flights imposed by the coronavirus epidemic, OAG reported that it has had a rather solid performance in the home market.
In addition to running a large number of domestic and international routes serving 248 destinations, it is also one of China’s top three airlines.
The aircraft, which had been in service for more than six years after it was given to China Eastern by Boeing in June 2015, was retired.
The Boeing 737, with its two engines and single aisle, is one of the world’s most popular planes for short and medium-distance flights.
There are several versions of the common aircraft operated by China Eastern, including the Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 Max. After two tragic crashes, the Boeing 737 Max model was grounded worldwide, according to the company.
Late last year, China’s aviation regulator approved the plane’s return to operation, marking the country the last major market to do so before the United States.
Its website states that the popular 737-800 model can accommodate up to 189 passengers and is powered by an engine from the CFM International Corporation (CFM).
The engines are produced by a joint venture between General Electric Co and Safran SA, which is located in France.
During the past decade, China’s airline industry has maintained one of the world’s top safety records, ranking among the best in the world.
The system, however, is less transparent than in nations such as the United States and Australia, where authorities issue thorough records on non-fatal events, according to Greg Waldron, Asia managing editor for industry publication Flightglobal.
It is difficult to gain a true picture of the situation with Chinese carriers as a result of this,’ he explained. ‘There have been worries raised about the possibility that some safety violations on the mainland are not being reported.’
Aviation Safety Network reports that the most recent deadly jet accident in China occurred in 2010, when an Embraer E-190 regional jet operated by Henan Airlines crashed on approach to Yichun airport in bad visibility, killing 44 out of 96 passengers on board.
A excellent safety record was established by the 737-800 type that crashed today. It is the forerunner to the Boeing 737 MAX model, which has been grounded in China for more than three years following tragic tragedies in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Following the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, which occurred less than six months apart, Boeing was obliged to halt production of the 737 Max.
The first disaster occurred on October 29, 2018, when a Boeing 737 Max, operating as Lion Air flight JT 610, crashed into the Java Sea 15 minutes after taking off from Indonesia.
The plane crashed, killing all 189 people on board, including 180 Indonesians, one Italian, and one Indian. The second incident occurred on March 10, 2019, when Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 took off from Addis Ababa and crashed into the African continent.
The plane crashed and all 157 people on board died. The plane was grounded all across the world, resulting in thousands of vacationers and business travelers missing their flights.
Customers cancelled orders for 60 of the new Boeing 737 MAX jets in June, according to a report released by Boeing on July 14, 2019. The aircraft manufacturer has deleted another 123 planes from its backlog due to concerns about the completion of the transactions.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, in 1992, a China Southern 737-300 plane flying from Guangzhou to Guilin crashed on descent, killing all 141 persons on board, including the pilot.
In March 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished, had a majority of passengers from China on board.
Boeing 737-800’s have had a series of deadly crashes in past:
- 2006: Gol Transportes Aéreos flight broke up and crashed in Brazil with all 154 on board dying
- 2007: Kenya Airways flight crashed into a swamp on the way to Nairobi with all 108 passengers and six crew dying
- 2009: Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul crashes in a field near the Polderbaan while trying to land at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport with nine people dying
- 2010: Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after taking off from Beirut, with all 90 passengers and eight crew dying
- 2010: Air India Express flight overran the runway on landing at Mangalore International Airport, with 158 passengers and six crew dying and just eight survivors
- 2016: Flydubai flight from Dubai to Rostov-on-Don in Russia crashed on the final approach, with all 62 people dying
- 2018: Air Niugini flight from Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, with a stop-off at Chuuk International Airport, undershot the runway and landed in a lagoon, with one person dying
- 2020: Pegasus Airlines flight skidded off the runway at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport before splitting into three pieces of fuselage, leaving three dead
- 2020: Air India Express flight overshot the runway while landing in heavy rain and crashed into a gorge at Calicut International Airport, with both pilots and 18 passengers dying
- 2022: China Eastern Airlines flight crashed while en-route to Guangzhou, China