New U.S. data obtained via FOIA suggest cockpit actions may have caused the March 21, 2022 crash of China Eastern Flight MU5735, which killed 132 people. Flight recordings and system logs reportedly show fuel selectors for both engines were switched to "off" and the autopilot disengaged while airborne. Recorder graphs indicate a cockpit struggle as one pilot pushed the aircraft into a steep dive and another attempted recovery. Chinese authorities and involved airlines say they are cooperating with ongoing investigations.
New NTSB Data Suggest Pilot May Have Intentionally Downed China Eastern Flight MU5735, Killing 132
Rescuers conduct search and rescue work at the core site of a recent plane crash in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in March 2022.Credit: Lu Boan/Xinhua via Getty
Newly released data obtained from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicate that actions inside the cockpit may have played a central role in the March 21, 2022 crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735, which killed all 132 people on board.
What the new data show
According to records obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request and reported by multiple outlets, cockpit recordings and system logs show the fuel selectors for both engines were moved to the "off" position while the aircraft was still airborne. Flight-data and cockpit recordings reportedly indicate the engines were manually shut down and that the autopilot was deliberately disengaged.
Sequence of events
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) reported that 123 passengers and nine crew members were aboard the China Eastern Boeing 737 on the domestic flight from Kunming to Guangzhou when it crashed near Wuzhou. Investigators’ charts and recorder graphs reportedly depict a struggle in the cockpit as the airliner entered a steep, rapid descent: one pilot is shown making aggressive nose-down inputs while another appears to try to counteract the movement.
Reporters cite the NTSB data indicating the flight-data recorder stopped when the airplane lost electrical power at roughly 26,000 feet, about 90 seconds after the shutdown sequence began. Earlier Chinese statements described onboard systems as appearing normal before the accident, but the U.S.-sourced material has raised new questions about cockpit actions leading up to the crash.
Responses and context
In May 2022 The Wall Street Journal reported that a person familiar with U.S. officials’ preliminary assessment said, “the plane did what it was told to do by someone in the cockpit.” The CAAC’s preliminary report noted that the flight and cabin crew held valid licenses and had passed health checks on the day of departure; the CAAC later said its review found no preflight issues with the aircraft, crew, or weather.
Chinese media and some international reports have focused attention on 59-year-old First Officer Zhang Zhengping, one of three pilots on the flight, who had reportedly been demoted from captain prior to the accident. Authorities have not publicly concluded a motive or declared a final determination attributing the crash to intentional acts.
Boeing said it would cooperate with investigators and expressed condolences to the passengers and crew. China Eastern Airlines also confirmed it was cooperating with relevant investigations and extended deep condolences to the families of the victims.
Investigation status
Investigations remain complex and ongoing. The new NTSB-related material, obtained through FOIA and reported in international media, adds important data points but does not alone constitute a final legal or investigative conclusion. Official statements from Chinese authorities and international investigative agencies will determine the final findings.
Sources: NTSB FOIA material (reported by multiple outlets), CAAC preliminary reports, CNN, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, People, and airline statements.
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