A screenshot from the Hankook Ilbo YouTube channel shows what appears to be the pilot reaching for the panel moments before the Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, Sunday. Captured from YouTube
KOREA TIMES | Published January 3, 2025
A heart-wrenching video showing the final moments of the pilot during the Jeju Air crash has surfaced online, evoking both sorrow and admiration for the pilot’s efforts in the face of what ultimately became a major aviation tragedy.
The footage captures what appears to be the pilot extending his hand toward the cockpit’s overhead panel moments before the aircraft collided with a localizer structure, a critical navigation aid.
A post titled “The Pilot’s Last Moments” circulated widely online, with the author saying, “Until the very last second, his hand reached out to the cockpit panel. I believe he did his utmost.”
The accompanying video shows a shadowy figure, presumed to be the pilot, reaching for the panel. While the identity of the figure in the video remains unconfirmed, many online commenters expressed their belief that the pilot made a valiant attempt to minimize the disaster.
The video has struck an emotional chord with viewers. Comments flooded forums, with many sympathizing with the immense fear and desperation the pilot must have felt.
“He managed a difficult belly landing perfectly, only to face a sudden concrete wall. Imagining his thoughts in those final moments brings tears to my eyes,” one user wrote. Another said, “Seeing the wall approach while the plane continued forward … the fear and helplessness must have been unimaginable.”
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport noted in a briefing on Tuesday that if both engines fail, hydraulic systems can malfunction, potentially affecting the landing gear. “However, in complete system failure scenarios, there is a manual lever that can be used,” a ministry official said.
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SOURCE: www.m.koreatimes.co.kr
RELATED: Pilot at airport of South Korea’s Jeju Air crash says he ‘assumed’ concrete mound was dirt
The jet’s collision with the structure at Muan airport during its belly landing is thought to have triggered the catastrophic explosion
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST | Published January 4, 2025
A pilot with seven years of experience at South Korea’s Muan International Airport testified that he had never been informed about the existence of a concrete mound housing a localiser on the airport’s runway, nor had he been able to distinguish it from a dirt pile.
The concrete structure is believed to have significantly exacerbated the severity of the accident, as the aircraft’s collision with the solid mound during its belly landing is thought to have triggered the catastrophic explosion.
Pilot and flight instructor A, who has used Muan airport for seven years, told Yonhap News on Thursday, “I’ve seen the mound from the air during countless take-offs and landings and assumed it was a dirt pile. It never occurred to me that it was made of concrete.”
He said, “There was no indication in the airport charts or separate guidance mentioning that the mound was a 2-metre-high, 4-metre-thick concrete structure. Other pilots were also unaware of its true nature.”
He also addressed the bird strike issue, which has been suggested as a possible cause of the accident.
He said pilots regularly monitor bird activity using the Airport Terminal Information Service (ATIS). “In my experience, bird strikes happen roughly once a year, typically affecting the wings. We always check weather conditions via frequency transmissions, and Muan airport has been issuing daily bird activity advisories lately, with air traffic controllers notifying us if birds are on the runway,” he said.
The Jeju Air accident occurred on December 29 at 8:57am. The control tower had issued a bird strike warning just before the aircraft attempted a belly landing. During the landing, the aircraft collided with the localiser’s concrete mound, leading to an explosion. The crash resulted in the deaths of 179 passengers and injuries to two crew members.
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SOURCE: www.scmp.com
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