Firefighters conduct rescue operations at the site of the Jeju Air plane crash at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, Sunday. Yonhap

The Jeju Air plane that crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29 was confirmed to have struck a flock of birds during its approach. The collision triggered an engine fire, filling the cabin with smoke and toxic fumes, and prompting the crew to attempt an emergency landing.

According to an exclusive report by the Hankook Ilbo, the Jeju Air plane involved in the crash was scheduled to land at Muan International Airport at 8:30 a.m. While descending for landing, the aircraft collided with a flock of birds at an altitude of 200 meters, impacting its right wing and engine.

Following the bird strike, the pilot aborted the landing and pulled the aircraft upward, reporting the incident to the Muan Airport control tower.

The pilot then communicated plans to attempt a second landing and circled the airport. However, during this time, flames erupted from the engine, and the situation deteriorated rapidly.

An aviation expert familiar with the communication said, "Despite having sufficient runway length, the crew had no time to execute fuel-dumping procedures or other emergency measures due to smoke and toxic fumes entering the cabin. The engine failure also caused the electronic and hydraulic systems to malfunction, likely preventing the landing gear from deploying."

Emergency crews had been placed on standby near the runway, but the situation escalated quickly.

"Had we known about the landing gear failure earlier, we could have taken steps to empty the fuel tank and prepare the runway with materials to reduce friction and cool the flames," said an airport official. "Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time."

During the second landing attempt, the aircraft approached the runway with a stable angle of entry, and the pilot switched to manual controls.

However, an airport official said, "After touchdown, the plane had to rely entirely on reverse thrust from the engines to decelerate. With steering also disabled, it collided with the outer wall at the end of the runway."

The bird strike was also corroborated by a passenger's message sent via KakaoTalk at 9 a.m., which read, "A bird struck the wing, and we can't land."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.