Four years after the tragic crash of a Boeing 737-800 in southern China that killed all 132 people on board, new findings are shedding light on what may have caused the disaster.
Data released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) suggests that the aircraft’s fuel control switches for both engines were manually turned off shortly before the plane plunged from 29,000 feet. This information comes from one of the recovered black boxes.
The report raises serious questions, especially as China’s aviation authority has yet to provide a clear explanation for the crash of Flight MU5735, previously denying any intentional act.
According to the NTSB, both engine fuel switches were moved from “run” to “cutoff,” causing a rapid loss of engine power. Aviation safety analyst David Soucie noted that no attempt was made to restart the engines—something pilots would typically do in the event of an accidental shutdown.
While experts like Tony Stanton caution that the data alone does not confirm intent or identify who acted, they agree the findings are difficult to reconcile with a standard mechanical failure and are more consistent with deliberate fuel cutoff.
Early speculation about possible pilot suicide had already been denied by Chinese authorities. As of now, no new updates have been released since 2024, when officials maintained that no issues were found with the aircraft, crew, or weather conditions.
