US Report Indicates Deliberate Fuel Cut in 2022 China Eastern Crash

Investigative documents recently made public by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicate that the crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 in March 2022, which resulted in the deaths of all 132 individuals aboard, might have been a deliberate act. Released on May 1 under the Freedom of Information Act, the NTSB report shows that while the aircraft was flying at 29,000 feet, the fuel levers on the Boeing 737-800 were switched to the "cut-off" position, leading to an immediate shutdown of the engines. This aligns with earlier preliminary findings from Bloomberg News and others suggesting a murder-suicide scenario. Chinese officials have not yet published a final report, citing national security concerns. Neil Campbell, a former air safety investigator, remarked that such actions are rarely taken during flight, indicating a "deliberate event." Neither the Civil Aviation Administration of China nor Boeing provided comments upon request.