New US Data Shed Light on China Eastern Airlines Crash and Lingering Questions

A piece of wreckage of China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 after it crashed on the mountain in Tengxian County, Guangxi Province, China, on March 21, 2022. Xinhua via APNewly disclosed U.S. investigative records are shedding light on the final moments of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 in 2022, revealing critical flight data that had not been made public in the four years since the deadly crash.The documents, prepared by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, indicate that both engines on the Boeing jet lost power after their fuel control switches were “moved from run position to the cutoff position” shortly before the aircraft entered a fatal dive. This finding could significantly shape understanding of the disaster’s cause.A Long-Withheld Record SurfacesThe 261-page report, titled “Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorder,” was submitted by the NTSB to relevant Chinese officials on July 1, 2022. It surfaced publicly only this week after a requester used the FOIA to obtain related materials. A copy was later posted online and has been reviewed by The Epoch Times.