Overview
- Flight data released Monday by the NTSB shows both engine fuel switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF at 29,000 feet during cruise.
- On a Boeing 737, these levers must be lifted before moving and can be moved together, which points to deliberate action rather than a dual mechanical failure.
- Almost immediately after the cutoff, the autopilot disengaged and control inputs drove the jet into an inverted roll and a steep dive.
- The flight data recorder stopped after a power loss around 26,000 feet, and the NTSB says cockpit audio it recovered was sent to China’s CAAC without copies kept.
- China’s aviation authority has not issued a final report and has cited national security and social stability, leaving motive and final-cockpit details unresolved for families and safety bodies.