The Truth Behind the Black Box Stopped Recording Before Jeju Air’s Tragic Crash
Jeju Air black boxes stopped recording four minutes before South Korean passenger jet crashed

The tragic crash of Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 on December 29, 2024, which resulted in 179 fatalities, has raised significant concerns due to the unexpected cessation of the aircraft's black box recordings approximately four minutes before impact.

This anomaly has complicated the investigation, leaving critical moments unrecorded and prompting questions about the reliability of flight data recording systems.

The Role of Black Boxes in Aviation

In aviation, black boxes—comprising the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR)—are essential for capturing flight information and cockpit communications. These devices are engineered to withstand extreme conditions, ensuring the preservation of data crucial for post-incident analyses.

The sudden stoppage of both recorders on Flight 7C2216 is highly unusual and has become a focal point in the ongoing investigation.

Details of the Recording Interruption

The Truth Behind the Black Boxes Stopped Recording Before Jeju Air’s Tragic Crash
This undated handout photo taken at an undisclosed location and released on January 1, 2025 shows the flight data recorder (FDR) retrieved from Jeju Air flight 2216. (Photo by Handout / South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transpor

According to South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, both the CVR and FDR ceased recording approximately four minutes before the aircraft collided with a concrete structure at Muan International Airport. This interruption has deprived investigators of vital data that could shed light on the sequence of events leading up to the crash.

Potential Causes of Data Interruption

Several hypotheses are being considered to explain the premature termination of the black box recordings:

• Electrical Failure: A total loss of electrical power, including backup systems, could cause both recorders to stop functioning simultaneously. Such an occurrence is rare, as aircraft are designed with redundant power systems to prevent complete electrical failure.

•Physical Damage: Structural damage to the aircraft prior to the crash could have impacted the integrity of the black boxes or their power supplies, leading to a cessation in recording.

•System Malfunction: A malfunction within the recording devices themselves, though uncommon, could result in an unexpected stoppage.

Implications for the Investigation

The absence of data from the final minutes of the flight poses significant challenges for investigators attempting to reconstruct the events leading to the crash. Without this information, determining factors such as pilot actions, aircraft performance, and system statuses becomes more complex.

To address this, the damaged FDR has been sent to the United States for analysis by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), while initial data extraction from the CVR has been completed in South Korea.

Broader Safety Concerns

This incident has broader implications for aviation safety, particularly concerning the reliability and resilience of flight data recording systems. The unexpected failure of both black boxes to capture the flight's final moments underscores the need for rigorous testing and potential enhancements to ensure data preservation in all circumstances.

Conclusion

The premature cessation of black box recordings on Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 has added a layer of complexity to an already challenging investigation. As authorities work to uncover the factors contributing to this anomaly, the findings may prompt a reevaluation of current technologies and protocols to bolster the reliability of flight data recording systems, ultimately enhancing aviation safety standards.

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