Patrol plane communicating normally until right before cash, Navy says

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Patrol plane communicating normally until right before cash, Navy says

Published: 30 May. 2025, 17:05

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Navy officials conduct a forensic operation at the scene of the crash in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 30, where a Navy patrol aircraft crashed on May 29. [YONHAP]

The Navy patrol aircraft that crashed into a wooded hill in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on Thursday was communicating normally with the control tower until one minute before the incident, the military said Friday.

The Navy announced it is analyzing the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) retrieved from the crash site to determine why the plane, which had been flying normally, suddenly plunged and crashed, killing all four crew members aboard.

In a press briefing, a Navy official stated that the aircraft — a P-3CK — was in routine communication with the control tower at the Pohang base until 1:48 p.m., one minute before it crashed.

The aircraft’s pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Park Jin-woo, informed the control tower of his intent to enter a traffic pattern for takeoff and landing drills, according to the Navy.

The P-3CK had flown from Jeju Naval Base to Pohang for takeoff and landing training. The session was being conducted in a "touch-and-go" format, which involves oval-shaped flight patterns, brief landings and immediate takeoffs.

The aircraft successfully completed its first takeoff and landing at 1:43 p.m. and took off again for a second round. It was during a right-hand turn that it suddenly nose-dived and crashed into a hillside near a riding school at approximately 1:49 p.m.

A P-3 maritime patrol aircraft [REPUBLIC OF KOREA NAVY]

“The final recorded communication from the pilot was related to the training and did not indicate any signs of danger,” the Navy said, indicating that a sudden emergency must have occurred during the brief interval between 1:48 p.m. and 1:49 p.m.

The CVR, which includes dialogue between the pilot and co-pilot, may prove key in unraveling the cause of the crash.

Witness accounts suggest the aircraft suddenly began a near-vertical descent near the riding school. A nearby apartment complex housing approximately 600 households raised speculation that the pilots may have steered the aircraft toward the mountain to avoid civilian casualties, even foregoing communication with the tower.

The Navy released video footage of the crash at the bereaved families’ request. The video showed the aircraft ascending and entering a right turn before dropping nearly vertically near the apartments. The aircraft wobbled briefly and fell to the ground within seven to eight seconds.

Navy officials conduct a forensic operation at the scene of the crash in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 30, where a Navy patrol aircraft crashed on May 29. [YONHAP]

“We believe the crew did their utmost to prevent civilian damage, guided by their duty to protect the public,” said a Navy official. “We explained this as such based on the pilot’s belief that they had a mission to protect the people, and we need to investigate whether this was actually the case.”

It is believed that the sudden issue occurred while the aircraft was climbing and had reached only 900 feet, too low for parachute evacuation, which is typically initiated at altitudes above 3,000 feet.

Lieutenant Colonel Park had 1,700 hours of flight experience, and the co-pilot, Major Lee Tae-hoon, had about 900 hours.

Also killed in the crash were tactical support officers Master Sergeant Yoon Dong-gyu and Master Sergeant Kang Shin-won, who were both posthumously promoted by one rank. The Navy has set up a joint memorial altar at the Pohang Naval Air Command gymnasium.

Colleagues of Navy officers who died in the patrol aircraft crash in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 29 shed tears while paying respects to the deceased at a memorial alter set up in the Pohang Naval Air Command gymnasium on May 30. [YONHAP]

Weather conditions at the time of the crash included winds of five to six meters per second (11 to 13 miles per hour), a temperature of 18.8 degrees Celsius (65.8 degrees Fahrenheit), and visibility of seven miles, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Navy.

No large flocks of birds were sighted, unlike in the Jeju Air incident in Muan County, South Jeolla, which involved a bird strike.

The aircraft had four turboprop engines and was capable of low-speed flight even with only one functioning engine, making the sudden crash even more puzzling.

Built in 1966 by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft was modified by Korea Aerospace Industries in 2007 and delivered to the Navy in July 2010. That makes the airframe nearly 60 years old, though the Navy emphasized that core components such as engines and wings were replaced during the retrofit.

Bereaved families of Navy officers who died in the patrol aircraft crash in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on May 29 pay respects to the deceased at a memorial alter set up in the Pohang Naval Air Command gymnasium on May 30. [YONHAP]

However, the aircraft lacked a flight data recorder (FDR), which logs flight paths and altitudes — a key component in most black boxes. Unlike commercial airliners, military aircraft are not required to have both a CVR and FDR.

The Navy currently operates 16 P-3 aircraft, including eight P-3Cs introduced in 1995 and eight upgraded P-3CKs delivered in 2010. Of these, six P-3CKs — including the one that crashed — do not have flight data recorders.

The aircraft had undergone depot maintenance in August 2021 and was due for another overhaul later this year. It also received field maintenance in February and unit-level maintenance in April, the Navy said.

“Though the original production year was long ago, critical components were replaced during the retrofit,” the Navy official said. “The aircraft had no critical defects as of its latest inspections.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE YU-JUNG,LEE KEUN-PYUNG [[email protected]]