Trending Now - Evidence Suggests Intentional Fuel Cutoff in 2022 China Crash

WHO:

Bloomberg Markets - China Eastern Airlines Corp. was involved in the crash.

CNN - The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has not addressed the questions surrounding the crash.

CNN - David Soucie is identified as a CNN aviation safety analyst.

WHAT:

Bloomberg Markets - The crash of the China Eastern Airlines jetliner killed all 132 people on board.

CNN - Flight data indicates that someone in the cockpit intentionally switched off the fuel supply.

CNN - The fuel switches to both engines were shut off simultaneously before the Boeing 737-800 jet crashed.

CNN - The flight data recorder stopped recording when the plane's generators lost power at 26,000 feet.

CNN - The cockpit voice recorder continued recording via a battery backup.

WHERE:

Bloomberg Markets - The crash occurred in a hillside in southern China.

CNN - The plane was en route from Kunming to Guangzhou and lost contact over the city of Wuzhou.

WHEN:

CNN - The crash occurred in March 2022.

CNN - The CAAC released a statement on the two-year anniversary of the crash in 2024.

WHY:

CNN - The investigation suggests that the crash may have been intentional, as indicated by the fuel switches being manually placed in the off position.

CNN - Previous reports indicated that human input orders sent the plane into its deadly dive.

HOW:

CNN - The fuel switches on the Boeing 737-800 are physical controls that regulate the flow of fuel to the engines, requiring a pilot to pull the switch up before moving it to the cutoff position.

CNN - The NTSB report stated that engine speeds decreased after the fuel switch movement, indicating a deliberate action.

(UPDATED May 4, 2026 19:25 UTC)

A tragic incident involving a China Eastern Airlines jetliner resulted in the deaths of all 132 people on board, with the crash occurring in a hillside area of southern China as the plane was en route from Kunming to Guangzhou. Investigators have found that someone in the cockpit intentionally switched off the fuel supply to both engines, leading to a loss of power at 26,000 feet, while the cockpit voice recorder continued to capture the final moments. The National Transportation Safety Board report confirmed that the fuel switches, which require a deliberate action to operate, were manipulated, suggesting that the crash may have been intentional.