Fuel Supply Cut Off Before China Eastern Airlines Crash

Data shared recently by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicates that someone deliberately severed the fuel supply to China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 just before it nosedived in 2022, leading to the deaths of all on board.

The tragic incident unfolded in late March 2022 in Guangxi province, China, shortly after the flight took off from Kunming, heading for Guangzhou. Authorities confirmed the loss of all 132 individuals aboard, but the exact cause of the aircraft’s sudden descent remains unresolved. This crash has sparked considerable debate, especially given the solid safety reputation of both China Eastern Airlines and its Boeing 737-800 NG model. Unfortunately, the Chinese Communist Party has not clarified whether the mishap was due to mechanical issues, pilot error, or something more intentional. Furthermore, they took swift action to suppress criticism of their response to the disaster.

According to the South China Morning Post, further NTSB findings revealed evidence that a manual lever was used to turn off the plane’s fuel supply. This action resulted in a notable decrease in engine speed shortly afterward. The aircraft was reportedly at roughly 29,000 feet when the fuel to the engines was cut off, a conclusion drawn from the flight recorder, also known as a black box. Given that the plane is a Boeing, American investigators are participating in the probe.

Aviation industry source Aerotime noted that the 737’s fuel switch is a manual control that regulates fuel flow. The pilot typically must pull this lever when transitioning from taxi to a stop. Both switches can be operated at the same time, which raises questions about the actions taken shortly before the crash.

CNN aviation analyst David Soucy commented that this new data indicates not only a decision to cut the fuel supply but also a lack of attempts to restore it and keep the plane airborne. Soucy stated, “This data clearly shows that the fuel switch was manually placed in the off position immediately before the crash.” He further emphasized that there’s no sign the switch was turned back on, which implies no effort was made to restart the engine—suggesting this was intentional.

As of now, the Chinese Communist Party has offered no official response to these disclosures. With China in the midst of a federal holiday for May Day, many governmental offices are closed, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. CNN reached out to relevant authorities but had not received a response yet.

The recent revelations have dominated headlines, hinting at a potential cover-up by the Chinese government regarding findings that might implicate the pilot or co-pilot in the crash. Various sources pointed out that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has previously stated that being more transparent could complicate national security issues. Meanwhile, reports have claimed that Chinese authorities were aware of details suggesting a deliberate act by the pilot or co-pilot for a considerable time.

Among the crew were 32-year-old Captain Yan Hongda, 59-year-old First Officer Zhang Zhenping, and 27-year-old Second Officer Nie Gongtao, who was in training. Speculation has focused on Zhang, a seasoned pilot who was recently demoted from his captain role.

In April 2022, the CAAC publicly declared that the aircraft’s maintenance was normal and that there were no mechanical failures before the crash. At that time, criticism was rampant on state-controlled social media accusing the government of poor aircraft maintenance.

In a statement, the CAAC confirmed that the crew’s qualifications were adequate, the aircraft’s airworthiness certificate was valid, and there were no navigational issues or adverse weather conditions at play. Notably, there were no distress signals or communications from the cockpit before the crash.

Reflecting on the investigation, various outlets alluded to ongoing “online speculation” suggesting the co-pilot may have acted intentionally. Over a year later, further comments from the CAAC indicated that the investigation was still complex, without definitive answers yet. Strikingly, updates did not comment on potential mental health issues of the crew or discuss possible motives if the crash was indeed intentional.