NTSB FOIA Release Reveals Fuel Cutoff in China Eastern MU5735 Crash

A newly released U.S. government document provides the most direct evidence to date regarding the cause of the China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 crash, indicating the aircraft’s engines were deliberately shut down. The data, prepared by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, confirms that both engine fuel control switches on the Boeing 737-800 were moved to the cutoff position just before its fatal high-speed dive in March 2022, which resulted in 132 fatalities.

The findings shift the focus of the investigation sharply from potential mechanical failure to human factors and possible intentional action. This development places significant pressure on the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the lead investigative body, which has yet to release a final report more than four years after the accident, contravening international standards for transparency.

Details of the NTSB Findings

The 261-page report, titled “Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorder,” details the NTSB's analysis of the aircraft's recorders, which were sent to its Washington D.C. lab for data extraction. According to the document, which the NTSB submitted to Chinese officials on July 1, 2022, the flight data recorder (FDR) clearly showed the fuel control switches being moved from the “run” to the “cutoff” position. This action would have starved the engines of fuel, leading to a complete loss of thrust.

The public release of this data via a U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request circumvents the official Chinese-led investigation, which has remained largely opaque. Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines specified in ICAO Annex 13, the state leading an investigation should publish a final report within 12 months or issue annual interim statements explaining the delay. The CAAC has missed these deadlines, citing the complexity of the investigation.

Stakeholder and Industry Impact

The implications of the NTSB's findings are significant for all parties involved:

• Boeing: The data strongly indicates the crash was not caused by a design or manufacturing flaw in the 737-800, one of the world's most widely used airliners. This effectively exonerates the aircraft from a mechanical standpoint, protecting the model's safety record.
• China Eastern Airlines: The airline faces severe reputational damage and the prospect of significant legal liability from victims' families if pilot culpability is officially confirmed. The findings will intensify scrutiny of the airline's crew screening and mental health monitoring protocols.
• Victims' Families: While not an official conclusion, the NTSB data provides a degree of unofficial closure about the aircraft's final moments and the likely cause, potentially redirecting legal claims toward the airline rather than the manufacturer.
• CAAC: The Chinese regulator faces a crisis of credibility. Its failure to publish a timely report, coupled with the release of contradictory evidence from a partner in the investigation, undermines its authority and fuels speculation about political interference in the process.

Historical Precedents and Regulatory Context

The circumstances surrounding MU5735 draw parallels to previous incidents where intentional pilot action was determined to be the cause. The 1997 crash of SilkAir Flight 185, also a Boeing 737, is highly analogous. In that case, the NTSB concluded the captain intentionally crashed the aircraft, while Indonesian authorities issued an inconclusive report. Similarly, the 2015 Germanwings Flight 9525 disaster was determined by investigators to be a deliberate act by the co-pilot. These events have led to increased scrutiny of pilot mental health and cockpit access protocols globally.

The situation also highlights growing geopolitical friction in international aviation investigations. In the 2025 IATA Safety Report, IATA Director General Willie Walsh emphasized the need for transparency, stating, "Accident investigation helps us improve safety, but many reports are not published in a timely, complete, or accessible way." The MU5735 investigation appears to be another case where national sensitivities are impeding the global safety apparatus, which relies on open data sharing. More information on the NTSB's role can be found on their official aviation investigations portal.

What Comes Next

The primary remaining milestone is the release of the official final investigation report by the CAAC. However, this milestone, originally expected by March 2023, is now delayed indefinitely. With the NTSB's technical findings now public, the CAAC is under immense international pressure to either corroborate the data or provide a credible alternative explanation for the crash. The Chinese government has previously stated that any speculation misleads the public and interferes with the ongoing investigation.

Why This Matters

This data release is a pivotal moment in one of the most mysterious and tragic air disasters of the last decade. It provides the strongest public evidence yet that the China Eastern MU5735 crash was a deliberate act, not an accident. The event underscores the critical importance of transparent, apolitical accident investigations as mandated by ICAO and detailed in resources like the IATA Annual Safety Report. For the global aviation industry, it serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat of insider action and the challenges of ensuring pilot mental fitness.