Summary
The video discusses the mysterious crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU-5735 on March 21, 2022. The plane rapidly descended from 30,000 feet in under two minutes, a rate comparable to skydivers, and crashed into a hill. Initial analysis suggests the crash was not accidental, with experts pointing to potential foul play or intentional action by the pilot. The investigation is ongoing, with a black box recovered, and the video debunks theories about the specific Boeing model involved.
Key Insights
The crash of MU-5735 was characterized by an abnormally rapid, vertical descent, unlike typical emergency descents where planes glide.
Flight data shows Flight MU-5735, en route from Kunming to Guangzhou on March 21, 2022, began losing altitude rapidly about an hour after takeoff. Instead of a controlled glide, the plane fell from nearly 30,000 feet in just 1 minute and 35 seconds, a rate of descent akin to skydivers. Video footage confirmed the plane was in a steep nose-dive before crashing into a hill, raising immediate questions about the cause.
Experts consider an accidental cause for this crash highly unlikely, leaning towards intentional action or foul play due to the nature of the descent.
Aviation experts like Neil Hansford and Michael Daniel suggest that the steep, vertical fall is inconsistent with accidental mechanical failures. They cite past incidents like Egypt Air flight 990 and SilkAir flight 185, where pilots intentionally crashed planes, as potential parallels. The possibility of a terrorist attack or pilot suicide is considered more probable than a random mechanical accident.
The specific aircraft model, Boeing 737-800, is a reliable and safe model, ruling out the design flaws seen in the 737-MAX series crashes.
While the 2018 Indonesia and 2019 Ethiopia crashes involved the Boeing 737-MAX model due to issues with the MCAS software, the MU-5735 was a Boeing 737-800. This model has been in service for years and is considered one of the safest passenger jets, making technical design flaws of the MAX series irrelevant to this incident.
Sections
The Crash of Flight MU-5735
Flight MU-5735 took off from Kunming on March 21, 2022, for a routine flight to Guangzhou.
Flight MU-5735, a normal passenger flight operated by China Eastern Airlines, took off from Kunming, China, on March 21, 2022, at 1:11 PM. The intended destination was Guangzhou, a city in Southeast China, with the flight scheduled to last approximately two hours.
The plane experienced an extremely rapid descent from 30,000 feet in under two minutes.
Approximately one hour into the flight, at 2:20 PM, the aircraft began to lose altitude at an unprecedented rate. Unlike a typical gliding descent during an emergency, the plane fell nearly 30,000 feet in just 1 minute and 35 seconds, a rate comparable to skydivers descending.
Video footage showed the plane in a vertical nose-dive before impact.
Footage captured from a distance clearly showed the plane in a steep, vertical nose-dive. This visual evidence strongly indicated a severe anomaly, contradicting normal flight behavior even in emergency situations.
The crash is considered one of China's worst aviation disasters, with no confirmed survivors initially.
The crash resulted in the deaths of all passengers and crew. The administration of China confirmed the crash, and initial reports highlighted the extreme descent rate, suggesting something went drastically wrong. The search for survivors was ongoing, with one black box later found.
Flight Data and Initial Theories
Flight data shows a normal climb and cruise, followed by a sudden, rapid descent with a brief altitude recovery.
Data from Flightradar24 indicated that Flight MU-5735 initially climbed normally and maintained an altitude of 29,000 feet for about an hour and ten minutes. At 2:20 PM, the plane began its rapid descent. Interestingly, there was a brief, slight ascent around the 8,000-foot mark during the fall before the descent resumed, a detail that has puzzled investigators.
Multiple theories were proposed, including mechanical failure, pilot suicide, or terrorism.
Given the unusual nature of the crash, various explanations were considered. These ranged from engine malfunction or other technical problems, to intentional acts like pilot suicide or a terrorist attack. The possibility of pilots fainting or weather-related issues were also mentioned, though later largely discounted.
Search and rescue efforts were hampered by terrain and weather, but one black box was recovered.
The crash site, located in a hilly, densely forested area, presented significant challenges for search and rescue teams. Heavy rain further complicated operations, leading to temporary suspensions. Despite these difficulties, one of the two black boxes (flight recorders) was found, albeit externally damaged. It was sent to Beijing for analysis, with hopes it would provide crucial information.
Expert Analysis and Foul Play
Experts believe an accidental cause is highly improbable due to the vertical fall.
Aviation expert Neil Hansford stated that the chances of the crash being an accident are very low. He contrasted it with Air France Flight 447, which had technical issues but descended slowly. The rapid, rock-like fall of MU-5735 suggests a more drastic event, potentially catastrophic structural failure like wings detaching, a missile strike, mid-air collision, or intentional action.
The descent pattern closely resembles previous incidents attributed to intentional pilot action.
Investigators like American Federal Aviation Investigator Michael Daniel shared the view that foul play is the most likely scenario. He referenced the intentional crashes of Egypt Air Flight 990 (1999) and SilkAir Flight 185 (1997), both of which involved a similar nose-dive trajectory, concluding that someone likely intended to bring the plane down.
Investigations are focusing on whether the pilot or someone else intentionally crashed the plane.
The primary focus of the investigation, based on expert opinions, is on the possibility of intentional action. This could involve the pilot deliberately crashing the aircraft or someone else taking control of the plane to cause the crash. The recovered black box is expected to shed light on the events in the cockpit leading up to the descent.
Excluding Other Theories
The Boeing 737-800 model is extremely reliable, unlike the 737-MAX involved in earlier crashes.
The specific aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800, a model widely used and considered very safe. This is distinct from the Boeing 737-MAX series, which experienced two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 due to issues with its MCAS software. The 737-800's flight history and design make it unlikely to be the cause of such a rapid, vertical crash.
Weather conditions were normal at the time of the crash, ruling out meteorological factors.
The China Meteorological Administration reported normal weather conditions during the crash. The temperature was around 30°C with moderate winds, and while rain was forecasted for the evening, it had not begun at the time of the incident. Visibility was also good (over 10 miles), indicating that weather was not a contributing factor.
Conspiracy theories blaming external forces, like the US, have emerged on Chinese social media but lack evidence.
Following the crash, various conspiracy theories surfaced on Chinese social media platforms. One popular theory suggested the crash was orchestrated by America as a response to China's stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Such theories are common after unexplained disasters but are not supported by official investigations.
Aviation Safety Statistics
Despite recent incidents, air travel remains one of the safest modes of transportation statistically.
The video reassures viewers that air travel is statistically very safe. It highlights that plane crashes, while tragic, are rare events. The discussion aims to counter any increased fear of flying potentially caused by news of recent accidents.
Common Boeing and Airbus models have extremely low crash rates per million flights.
Statistics are provided for popular aircraft models: Boeing 737 variations (600/700/800/900) have a crash rate of 0.07 per million flights. Airbus A300 has a rate of 0.46 per million flights, and the A310 has a rate of 1.35 per million flights. These figures underscore the low probability of a crash.
Recent crashes are often linked to software faults or deliberate pilot actions, not weather or hijacking.
The video notes that contemporary aviation accidents are increasingly attributable to either technical software issues or intentional pilot actions, rather than external factors like bad weather or hijacking, which have become exceedingly rare causes for crashes.
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