Data from the flight data recorder of China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 shows deliberate actions in the cockpit led to the Boeing 737-800’s crash on March 21, 2022, killing all 132 people on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board released documents on May 1, 2026, following a Freedom of Information Act request. The materials include flight data recorder contents, email exchanges with China’s Civil Aviation Administration, and a data download report from July 2022.
While cruising at 29,000 feet en route from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, the fuel control switches for both engines moved simultaneously from run to cutoff positions, shutting down power. The autopilot disengaged immediately, triggering warnings. Three seconds later, one cockpit yoke was pushed forward violently, sending the aircraft into a steep dive.
Recorder data shows continuous control inputs on the yoke during descent, with fluctuating aileron activity suggesting recovery attempts by at least one person. The recorder stopped at around 26,000 feet, 23 seconds after engine cutoff, due to power loss; it lacked a backup battery.
The aircraft, registered B-1791, carried 123 passengers and nine crew, including three pilots: the captain with 6,709 hours, first officer with 31,769 hours, and second officer with 556 hours. The cockpit voice recorder audio, recovered but provided to China, captured discussions among them; the NTSB did not retain copies.
No mechanical failures were indicated. Chinese authorities have not issued a final report, citing national security concerns, prompting criticism over transparency in the joint U.S.-China investigation.