Skip to content
Evidence Suggests Deliberate Crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 in 2022

Evidence Suggests Deliberate Crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 in 2022

First seen 4 May 2026, 20:02 UTC

Article Content

Browse articles
ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster May 5, 2026 at 19:56 UTC
  • Flight MU5735 crashed in March 2022, killing all 132 passengers and crew.
  • NTSB data indicates fuel switches were manually turned off before the crash.
  • Speculation surrounds First Officer Zhang Zhengping as a potential cause of the crash.

Flight data from the 2022 crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 indicates that the fuel switches for both engines were deliberately turned off, leading to the aircraft's nosedive and crash into a mountain in Guangxi, China, killing all 132 people on board. The data, released by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), shows that the switches were moved from 'run' to 'cutoff' at cruising altitude of 29,000 feet, with no attempts made to restart the engines. This incident, China's deadliest air disaster in decades, has raised suspicions of pilot intent, particularly focusing on First Officer Zhang Zhengping, who had recently lost his captaincy. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has not confirmed the intentional nature of the crash and has been accused of suppressing information. Investigators are still analyzing the cockpit voice recordings, which captured critical moments leading up to the crash. The NTSB's findings have intensified scrutiny on the CAAC's handling of the investigation and the broader implications for aviation safety in China.

Start a free Starter trial for enhanced analysis

Ask AI about this cluster

Updated 139d ago How this analysis works

Timeline

2022-03-21
China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 crashes in Guangxi, China.
2026-05-04
NTSB releases data indicating deliberate fuel switch shutdown.
2026-05-04
CNN and other outlets report on the NTSB findings.

More articles in this cluster (16)