South Korea’s most devastating aviation disaster in recent memory has reignited a firestorm of criticism, as families of the victims and aviation unions reject preliminary findings that place the blame solely on pilot error. The tragic crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in December 2024, which claimed the lives of 179 of the 181 people onboard, remains under scrutiny as the official investigation faces mounting public pressure.
The South Korean Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board has concluded that the crash occurred due to a critical mistake by the flight crew: the pilot reportedly shut down the wrong engine during an emergency landing attempt at Muan International Airport. According to the report, after a bird strike severely damaged the aircraft’s right engine, the pilot mistakenly deactivated the undamaged left engine, leading to a catastrophic failure as the plane made a gearless belly landing and skidded uncontrollably into a concrete barrier.
But the findings, originally set to be released last weekend, were postponed following protests from victims’ families, who accuse the investigation of oversimplifying the chain of events and scapegoating the flight crew while failing to acknowledge deeper systemic issues.
“We are not satisfied with the conclusion,” a spokesperson for the bereaved families said. “This report omits critical details—most notably the presence of a large concrete barrier at the end of the runway that significantly worsened the crash’s outcome.”
Survivors and families argue that the impact with the concrete structure—not the emergency landing alone—was what ultimately turned the incident into a mass-casualty event. They are demanding that investigators thoroughly reassess the physical layout of the airport and potential failures in safety infrastructure.
The pilots’ union at Jeju Air echoed these concerns, saying in a statement that “it is irresponsible and premature to focus solely on human error without fully analyzing environmental and procedural shortcomings.” They warned that mischaracterizing the incident could set a dangerous precedent, overlooking the broader failures that allowed such a tragedy to unfold.
A source with direct knowledge of the probe told Reuters that investigators are standing by their conclusion, citing “clear evidence and backup data” to support the pilot error theory. However, mounting calls for transparency have pushed for a public press briefing and a wider review before any official declaration is made.
The crash occurred on the morning of December 29, 2024, as Flight 2216 was approaching Muan Airport. After reporting a bird strike and making a distress call, the pilots attempted to land from the opposite direction, a maneuver captured in chilling video footage that shows the plane descending without landing gear and sliding across the runway before violently crashing into a solid concrete barrier.
In March 2025, both engines were flown to France for forensic analysis. Investigators determined that the left engine was functioning properly, while the right had suffered critical damage from the bird strike. The report claims that the crew misidentified the compromised engine, leading to the wrong engine being shut down.
But critics argue this analysis ignores pressing safety issues at Muan International Airport. In January 2025, South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport pledged to remove concrete barriers from the ends of runways at seven national airports. That decision, made in the immediate aftermath of the crash, indicates acknowledgment that fixed structures near active runways may pose a fatal risk.
In May, the families of the victims escalated their campaign for justice by filing a criminal complaint against Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae, accusing him of professional negligence. He is among 24 individuals currently under investigation, including airport personnel and aviation regulators, as prosecutors explore whether deeper lapses in oversight contributed to the tragedy.
Flight 2216 was a routine domestic journey until disaster struck just minutes before touchdown. Investigators estimate that the crew had mere moments to react to a sudden and complex emergency, and aviation experts suggest that more advanced onboard systems and clearer runway hazard protocols could have potentially prevented the high death toll.
The crash has become a national flashpoint, prompting demands for reforms in aircraft emergency procedures, pilot training, and airport safety regulations. It has also triggered renewed debate on the burden placed on flight crews during high-pressure scenarios.
As South Korea awaits the final release of the official report, public sentiment is increasingly leaning toward a broader view of accountability. The families and advocacy groups are urging the government not only to reassess the conclusions of the investigation but to ensure that policy changes follow.
“The pain of losing our loved ones is still fresh,” the families said in a joint statement. “We are not asking for blame to be shifted—we are asking for truth, transparency, and lasting changes that will make our skies safer for everyone.”
