BREAKING Black boxes of Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 stopped recording four minutes before the crash

Jeju Air flight 7C2216's Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder ceased operations just four minutes before the aircraft crashed at Muan Airport, as reported by the Korea's ARAIB investigation board. This incident coincided with a bird strike affecting the aircraft's right engine, potentially leading to a complete power loss. The crash occurred at 9:03 a.m. when the Boeing aircraft collided with a concrete mound at the airport after landing gear failure. The damaged recorders have been determined to be irrecoverable for local data extraction, and their components have been sent to the NTSB in Washington for analysis. Notably, the aircraft type, a Boeing 737 Next Generation, was built prior to regulations mandating battery backups for flight data recorders, which would ensure they continue recording in such power loss scenarios. From a transportation safety perspective, this incident highlights a critical gap in design and regulation. The lack of battery backup systems on older aircraft means that in emergencies leading to a total loss of power, crucial data that could inform safety improvements is lost. This underscores the need for ongoing evaluations of aviation safety regulations, particularly for aging fleets, to ensure they align with modern safety standards and technologies. Enhanced data recording capabilities are essential for uncovering the full circumstances of such accidents and ultimately improving safety in the aviation sector.