More than four years after the crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735, newly released data appears to indicate that someone in the cockpit may have deliberately cut off the fuel supply to both engines, according to a new report.
A Boeing 737-800 plunged nearly 29,000 feet and crashed into a mountain in southern China’s Guangxi region in March 2022, killing all 132 people on board.
Simultaneous shutdown of fuel switch before descent
Data released by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in response to a Freedom of Information Act request show that both engine fuel switches moved from “run” to “cut off” during cruise flight, CNN reported, citing the document.
According to the data, “while cruising at 29,000 feet, it was determined that the fuel switches on both engines moved from the run position to the off position. The engine speed decreased after the fuel switch movement,” the NTSB report said, as cited by the news site.
Fuel switches on commercial aircraft are physical controls that regulate the flow of fuel to the engines. On the Boeing 737, pilots must lift the switch before moving it from “run” to “cutoff”.
Sudden loss of altitude and data interruption
The plane reportedly went into a steep descent after losing engine power. The flight data recorder stopped recording when the on-board generators failed at around 26,000 feet.
The cockpit voice recorder briefly continued to operate on backup battery power, but the full sequence of the last cockpit voice remains unclear.
Cockpit footage handed over to Chinese authorities
According to NTSB material cited by the reporter, investigators recovered four voice recordings from the damaged cockpit voice recorder and turned them over to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for analysis.
The investigation remains unsolved
Despite an extensive analysis, Chinese authorities have not publicly concluded what triggered the fatal descent of flight MU5735.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) did not directly address whether the fuel interruption was accidental, mechanical or intentional.
The role of the US is limited by international rules
The NTSB’s involvement was based on Boeing being a US-made aircraft. However, under international aviation rules, the investigation was led by China as an incident.
The case remains one of China’s deadliest aviation disasters in decades, with key questions about the cause of the crash still officially unanswered.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) last issued an update in March 2024 and has not provided any further findings since then, despite global aviation expectations for regular reports of serious accidents.
Fatal accident kills 132 in Guangxi region
On March 21, 2022, a China Eastern Boeing 737-800 crashed into a hillside in the Guangxi region, about an hour after taking off from Kunming.
All 132 passengers and crew were killed, making it China’s deadliest air disaster in more than three decades.
The plane was supposed to land in Guangzhou, according to earlier reports, but instead entered a sudden and near-vertical descent from cruising altitude.
Limited official disclosure from Chinese authorities
Previous updates from CAAC have been brief and limited in detail. Authorities said that:
-No mechanical faults or engine abnormalities were detected prior to takeoff
-Weather conditions were normal, no dangerous conditions were reported
– Communication systems were functioning normally
-The crew had a valid license, had sufficient rest and passed medical examinations
-There were no dangerous goods on board
Despite these statements, no official cause of the crash has been released.
International guidelines require faster reporting
Global standards for aviation investigations recommend that:
– The first report will be issued within 30 days of the accident
– The final report should ideally be completed within one year
-Annual updates will be provided as investigations continue
However, the MU5735 investigation did not follow this timeline, leaving significant gaps in publicly available information.
Families are still waiting for answers years later
It is unclear to the families of the victims what caused the plane to plummet from cruising altitude, and no detailed explanation has been provided beyond a preliminary assessment.
The lack of updates continues to fuel frustration and uncertainty surrounding the case.
Initial US media reports indicated possible deliberate action
In May 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that data from the plane’s black boxes, based on a preliminary assessment by US officials, indicated the possibility of intentional interference with the cockpit leading to the crash.
However, this claim has not been formally confirmed by Chinese investigators.
The investigation remains open
More than four years after the crash, the absence of a comprehensive final report continues to leave one of the worst aviation disasters in recent history without a publicly confirmed explanation.
