Air safety expert David Learmount has stated that the recent tragedy at Muan International Airport was not caused by a fault in the landing gear, but rather by a concrete structure near the runway. The incident involved a South Korean budget airline Jeju Air plane skidding off the runway, hitting a concrete fence, and bursting into flames. Learmount emphasized that the passengers were not killed due to the airplane malfunction, but rather from hitting a solid structure at the end of the runway where it should not have been. He pointed out that the video of the crash showed the aircraft being landed perfectly with the wings level, sliding on its belly.
The concrete structure that the plane collided with contained landing system antennas that guide aircraft to the runway, especially in poor weather conditions or at night. Learmount noted that these antennas are typically just placed in the ground and should not be made of solid materials like concrete. He suggested that lighter materials that break more easily should have been used to prevent such tragedies. In response to this incident, officials have announced that they will investigate whether the landing system antennas at the airport should have been encased with lighter materials to avoid such accidents in the future.
Following the crash, authorities reported that similar concrete structures exist in other domestic airports as well as in countries like the United States, Spain, and South Africa. Learmount’s comments have raised concerns about the safety measures in place at airports globally, especially regarding the placement of critical navigational infrastructure. South Korean officials have also announced that safety inspections of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country’s airlines will be conducted to ensure that such incidents do not occur again. It is crucial for airports to prioritize safety measures and reevaluate the placement of structures near runways to prevent accidents like the one at Muan International Airport. The aviation industry must take heed of the lessons learned from this tragic event to enhance safety standards and protect passengers and crew members from harm.
