A report by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has indicated that the fuel switches on a China Eastern Airlines flight that crashed in 2022 were likely deliberately cut off, resulting in the deaths of all 132 people on board.
Details of the Crash
The Boeing 737 aircraft, operating as flight MU5735, was en route from Kunming to Guangzhou on 21 March 2022 when it crashed into a hillside in the remote Guangxi region. The impact was so severe that the aircraft disintegrated into approximately 40,000 pieces. Both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder survived and were recovered for investigation.
NTSB Findings
The NTSB revealed that the switches controlling fuel flow to both engines were moved to the cut-off position while the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 8,839 meters. Engine speeds decreased after the fuel switch movement, and there was no indication that the switches were ever turned back on. The US aviation body is assisting Chinese authorities because Boeing is an American manufacturer. The report was released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Expert Analysis
Neil Campbell, a former air safety investigator at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, stated that it is routine for fuel switches to be turned off after landing but almost never in flight. He described the actions as looking like a deliberate event, noting that there is no reason to switch off engines during flight. Tony Stanton, an aviation expert at Strategic Air, told CNN that while the data does not prove motive or who moved the switches, it is very difficult to reconcile with a conventional dual-engine mechanical failure and is much more consistent with a human-commanded fuel shutoff.
Ongoing Investigations
The Chinese government has yet to release a final report on the incident. The Civil Aviation Administration of China argued that the crew held valid licenses, were adequately rested, and passed health checks. The aviation safety office director at the Chinese aviation authority stated they did not have a clear assessment of the cause. Air controllers repeatedly called the aircraft during its descent but received no response.
The fuel switch movement is also central to the investigation of a 2025 Air India flight crash, where a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all but one on board and 19 people on the ground. The final report on that incident is yet to be released.
