CNN traffic analysts said video footage of Sunday’s accident shows that the plane’s landing gear appeared not to have been lowered when it made a forced landing on the runway.
Mary Schiavo, a former U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general, said one of the engines may have failed or the plane’s indicators may have been damaged. Another possibility is that the pilot may have been attempting a “go-around,” meaning he was attempting to abort the landing and circle in the air to see if the gear was engaged. It’s sexual, she said.
“Maybe there was a problem with the lights and it wasn’t clear whether the gear was down or not. First we did a go-around, entered the airport, crossed the runway, actually looked at the control tower and saw the gear down. It’s a very…proper procedure to see if it’s up or up,” Schiavo told CNN’s Paula Newton.
Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216, listed on flight tracking website FlightAware as a Boeing 737-800, was flying from Bangkok to Muan International Airport with 181 people (175 passengers and six crew members) on board.
Schiavo, speaking from Chiang Mai, Thailand, noted that the tragedy occurred during the busy holiday travel season.
“There are families everywhere celebrating the holidays, so it’s likely this flight will be full,” she said.
While Jeju Air is a popular low-cost carrier, South Korea’s air safety ratings are generally high, Schiavo said. South Korea is rated Category 1 in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) International Aviation Safety Assessment Program.
Schiavo said regulators need to stay on top of growth as the aviation industry is booming, not just in South Korea but also in Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia.
