More than four years after the crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735, newly released data appears to indicate that someone in the cockpit may have intentionally cut off fuel to both engines, according to a new report.
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft plunged nearly 29,000 feet and crashed into a mountain in southern China’s Guangxi region in March 2022, killing all 132 people on board.
Simultaneous fuel switch cutoff before descent
Data released by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in response to a Freedom of Information Act request shows that both engine fuel switches moved from “run” to “cutoff” during cruise flight, CNN reported citing the document.
According to the data, “it was found that while cruising at 29,000 feet, the fuel switches on both engines moved from the run position to the cutoff position. Engine speeds decreased after the fuel switch movement,” the NTSB report stated, as cited by the news outlet.
Fuel switches on commercial aircraft are physical controls that regulate fuel flow to the engines. On the Boeing 737, pilots must lift the switch before moving it from “run” to “cutoff”.
Sudden loss of altitude and data interruption
The aircraft reportedly entered a steep descent after the engine power loss. The flight data recorder stopped recording when onboard generators failed at around 26,000 feet.
The cockpit voice recorder continued operating briefly on backup battery power, but the full sequence of final cockpit audio remains unclear.
Cockpit recordings transferred to Chinese authorities
According to the NTSB material cited by the news outlet, investigators retrieved four voice recordings from the damaged cockpit voice recorder and transferred them to China’s Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for analysis.
Investigation remains unresolved
Despite extensive analysis, Chinese authorities have not publicly concluded what triggered the fatal descent of Flight MU5735.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has not directly addressed whether the fuel cutoff was accidental, mechanical, or deliberate.
US role limited under international rules
The NTSB’s involvement stemmed from Boeing being a U.S.-manufactured aircraft. However, under international aviation rules, China led the investigation as the state of occurrence.
The case remains one of China’s deadliest aviation disasters in decades, with key questions about the cause of the crash still officially unanswered.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) last issued an update in March 2024, and has since provided no additional findings, despite global aviation expectations for regular reporting on major accidents.
Deadly crash killed 132 in Guangxi region
On March 21, 2022, a China Eastern Boeing 737-800 aircraft crashed into a hillside in the Guangxi region, roughly an hour after departure from Kunming.
All 132 passengers and crew were killed, making it China’s deadliest aviation disaster in more than three decades.
The aircraft had been scheduled to land in Guangzhou but instead entered a sudden and near-vertical descent from cruising altitude, according to earlier reports.
Limited official disclosures from Chinese authorities
Previous updates from the CAAC have been brief and limited in detail. Authorities have stated that:
-No mechanical faults or engine abnormalities were found before takeoff
-Weather conditions were normal with no hazardous conditions reported
-Communications systems functioned normally
-The crew held valid licences, had adequate rest, and passed health checks
-No dangerous goods were on board
Despite these statements, no official cause of the crash has been disclosed.
International guidelines call for faster reporting
Global aviation investigation standards recommend that:
-An initial report be issued within 30 days of an accident
-A final report be completed ideally within one year
-Annual updates be provided if investigations remain ongoing
However, the MU5735 investigation has not followed this timeline, leaving significant gaps in publicly available information.
Families still await answers years later
Victims’ families remain without clarity on what caused the aircraft to descend sharply from cruising altitude, with no detailed explanation provided beyond preliminary assessments.
The lack of updates has continued to fuel frustration and uncertainty surrounding the case.
Early US media reports cited possible intentional action
In May 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that data from the aircraft’s black boxes, based on a preliminary assessment by US officials, suggested the possibility of deliberate cockpit input leading to the crash.
However, this claim has not been formally confirmed by Chinese investigators.
Investigation remains open-ended
More than four years after the crash, the absence of a comprehensive final report continues to leave one of the most serious aviation disasters in recent history without a publicly confirmed explanation.
