B738, en-route, southwest of Wuzhou City China, 2022

B738, en-route, southwest of Wuzhou City China, 2022

Summary

On 21 March 2022, soon after entering the Guangzhou radar control area level at the equivalent of FL290, a Boeing 737-800 was observed, contrary to clearance, to begin a sustained and very rapid descent without contacting ATC. After disappearing from radar, it was subsequently found to have impacted terrain at high speed which destroyed the aircraft and caused the deaths of all 123 occupants. The Investigation has commenced and both severely damaged flight recorders have been recovered. Analysis of recovered data is believed not to indicate an airworthiness-related explanation but this has not been confirmed by the responsible Investigation Agency.

Description

On 21 March 2022, a Boeing 737-800 (B-1791) being operated by China Eastern Airlines on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Kunming to Guangzhou as MU5735 and in the cruise at the equivalent of FL290 in day VMC suddenly and without notification to ATC, began a steep descent which, with one brief interruption, continued to a high speed terrain impact which destroyed the aircraft and caused the death of all its 123 occupants.

Investigation

An Investigation into the Accident has been commenced by the Aviation Safety Office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The FDR and CVR were recovered from the accident site but both had extensive impact damage and were sent to the NTSB to attempt to extract any useful data which might assist the Chinese Investigation. 

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