Wuzhou, China: The crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 crash continues to raise critical questions more than four years after the disaster, as newly surfaced U.S. investigative data points toward deliberate cockpit actions while Chinese authorities maintain silence, citing national security concerns.
On March 21, 2022, a Boeing 737-800 operated by China Eastern Airlines plunged from cruising altitude into mountainous terrain in Guangxi, killing all 132 passengers and crew on board. The aircraft, en route from Kunming to Guangzhou, entered a near-vertical descent from approximately 29,000 feet, leaving investigators initially baffled due to the absence of distress calls or clear external triggers.
Early findings released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) ruled out conventional causes such as mechanical failure, severe weather, or hazardous cargo.
The aircraft was deemed airworthy, the crew qualified and medically fit, and no evidence of explosives was found. Flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered and analyzed with assistance from international agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), yet interim reports issued between 2022 and 2024 stopped short of identifying a definitive cause, describing the event as “very complicated and very rare.”
Attention began to shift toward possible human involvement after early assessments indicated that control inputs from the cockpit forced the aircraft into its steep descent. However, no official conclusion was publicly endorsed, and the investigation appeared to stall as updates from Chinese authorities became increasingly limited.
A significant breakthrough emerged in 2026 following the release of previously undisclosed materials through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the NTSB.
According to flight data recorder analysis, both engine fuel control switches were moved to the “cutoff” position approximately 23 seconds before the recording ceased. This action resulted in an immediate loss of engine thrust, followed by autopilot disengagement and aggressive forward control inputs that drove the aircraft into a rapid descent. The loss of electrical power shortly afterward caused the recorder to stop, leaving the final moments of the flight undocumented.
The cockpit voice recorder, which continued operating briefly on backup power, was successfully recovered and analyzed. However, its contents have not been made public.
The NTSB confirmed that it does not retain copies of the audio, and access remains under the control of Chinese authorities, making it a crucial yet unavailable piece of evidence in determining the sequence of events inside the cockpit.
While the available data suggests that the shutdown of both engines was unlikely to be accidental and is consistent with deliberate manual input, investigators have not identified which pilot may have acted or under what circumstances.
The data also does not establish motive, leaving open possibilities ranging from intentional action to incapacitation or other in-flight scenarios. Reports speculating about a possible struggle in the cockpit have surfaced in some media outlets but remain unverified and are not part of any confirmed investigative findings.
Despite the emergence of these critical details, the CAAC has yet to release a final accident report, well beyond the timeline prescribed under international aviation norms.
Officials have indicated that disclosing further information could endanger national security or disrupt social stability, an explanation that has drawn concern from global aviation bodies and safety experts. Under standard practices, accident investigations are expected to produce a final report within one year to ensure that safety lessons are shared across the industry.
The continued lack of transparency has left several fundamental questions unanswered. Without access to the cockpit voice recordings and a comprehensive official report, the exact cause of the crash remains unresolved.
