A preliminary accident report from the South Korean government has identified duck feathers and blood in both engines of the Jeju Air aircraft that crashed at Muan Airport on Dec. 29.
The full preliminary report, originally published in Korean, stated that the duck remains were genetically analyzed and found to be Baikal Teals. The report did not indicate what may have caused the aircraft to land without its landing gear deployed.
The report stated that authorities plan to study the impact birds and a concrete mound on the runway had in the incident. According to a Reuters report on the matter, vital clues about what caused the crash are unavailable to investigators due to the Boeing 737-800 aircraft’s flight recorders malfunctioning just before the crash.
The preliminary report stated that at 08:58:50 local time, flight data recording and cockpit voice recording were simultaneously suspended. This occurred four minutes prior to the crash at a 498-foot altitude. At 08:58:56, the pilot made an emergency “Mayday” declaration due to a bird collision.
The deadly Jeju Air crash killed all but two of the aircraft’s occupants and prompted the South Korean government to start air safety reforms across the country. At the request of Muan Airport operator Korea Airport Corporation, the airport will be closed until April 18.
The investigation into the official cause of the incident is still ongoing.
