Investigation Summary
Jeju Air Flight 2216 was on approach to Muan International Airport when it encountered a flock of Baikal Teals (migratory ducks); bird remains were later identified in both CFM56-7B engines. During the go-around the aircraft lost thrust, and the flight recorders stopped roughly four minutes before impact, leaving the final phase without recorded data. A briefing by the ARAIB indicating that the crew shut down the less-damaged engine was withdrawn after objections from victims' families and pilot representatives, and has not been formally confirmed; no official finding on which engine was shut down has been published. The landing gear was not extended and the crew carried out a gear-up landing, sliding the aircraft down the runway. The aircraft overran the runway and struck a non-frangible concrete mound housing the ILS localizer antenna. Simulations reported in the investigation suggest the belly landing itself was survivable, and the impact with the concrete structure caused the fuselage to break apart and ignite. The tail section detached, and the two cabin crew in it survived; all 175 passengers and the four remaining crew members were killed.
Final Conclusions
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with results from the main government probe expected in mid-2026. Preliminary findings and a Board of Audit report established that the aircraft suffered a dual-engine bird strike involving migratory ducks, leading to a gear-up landing. While a withdrawn ARAIB briefing suggested the crew may have mistakenly shut down a less-damaged engine, this has not been formally confirmed and is disputed by victims' families. A central factor in the high fatality rate was the aircraft's collision with a non-frangible concrete localizer mound in the runway overrun area, which the Ministry of Transport admitted breached international safety standards.
Video Analysis
China Airlines Flight 120 Fire at Okinawa — Documentary excerpt covering the investigation into China Airlines Flight 120, a Boeing 737-800 that caught fire and exploded after landing at Naha Airport, Okinawa, in 2007. The incident was caused by a fuel tank fire resulting from a pierced slat track.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
CFM56-7B Engines
The aircraft was equipped with two CFM International CFM56-7B turbofan engines. Both engines ingested birds, with a reported loss of thrust in the right engine, precipitating the emergency.
Landing Gear System
The system for extending and retracting the undercarriage. The gear failed to deploy on the second landing attempt, leading to a belly landing. The reason for this failure is a critical point of the investigation.
Fuselage Structure
The main body of the aircraft. The structural failure of the fuselage, specifically the detachment of the tail section, is a key factor in the survival of two crew members.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident resulted in 179 fatalities, comprising all 175 passengers and 4 of the 6 crew members.
- 02Two cabin crew members survived after the tail section detached from the main fuselage during the breakup.
- 03Both engines sustained damage from a bird strike (migratory ducks) during the initial approach.
- 04The flight recorders stopped functioning approximately four minutes before the final impact.
- 05The aircraft performed a gear-up landing on the runway but overran into a concrete localizer mound.
- 06Simulations indicated the crash was survivable had the aircraft not struck the non-frangible concrete structure.
- 07The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport admitted the localizer mound breached frangibility standards on 9 January 2026.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Review of Bird Strike Procedures
Aviation authorities to review and reinforce procedures for flight crews managing dual-engine bird strikes, particularly concerning decision-making for subsequent approaches and landings.
Landing Gear Emergency Procedures
Aircraft manufacturer and operators to review the clarity and effectiveness of emergency procedures for landing gear system failures, ensuring checklists account for high-stress, multiple-failure scenarios.
Airport Wildlife Hazard Management
Review and enhancement of the Wildlife Hazard Management Program at Muan International Airport to mitigate the risk of bird strikes on approach and departure paths.
Replacement of Non-Frangible ILS Structures
Source ↗The South Korean government ordered the replacement of concrete navigation structures at seven airports with lightweight, frangible structures or underground installations to meet international safety standards.
Enhanced Operational Safety Standards
Source ↗The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced new safety measures including penalties for fatal crashes, arrestor systems for shorter runways, and increased technician qualification requirements.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
ILS Antenna Construction Standards
Reference ↗The concrete mound housing the localizer breached international frangibility guidance, which requires such equipment to break away on impact; the Ministry of Transport admitted the breach on 9 January 2026. A Board of Audit report in March 2026 concluded the mound had been built that way to cut costs rather than by flattening the terrain.
Independent Investigation and Delays
Reference ↗Following the withdrawal of a July 2025 release and a subsequent delay in December 2025, victims' families questioned the credibility of the ARAIB probe. On 22 December 2025, the South Korean parliament passed a bill to launch an independent investigation into the disaster.
Handling of Human Remains
Reference ↗Public anger erupted in early 2026 when it was discovered that human remains and victims' belongings had been stored in sacks alongside accident rubble rather than being properly processed, leading to police raids on the transport ministry.
Location
APPROXIMATE AREA ONLY · This position predates coordinate provenance tracking. Treat it as an approximate marker for the area, not the accident site. No map is shown, because a marker here would imply a precision the record does not have.
Reported location: Muan International Airport, Muan County, South Korea (34°58′35″N 126°22′58″E)