New NTSB Data Suggest Manual Fuel Shutoff in China Eastern Flight MU5735 Crash

On 21 March 2022, China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735, a Boeing 737-800, vanished at 29,000 feet over Guangxi and later struck a mountain, killing all 132 aboard. NTSB data shows both engine fuel-switch levers moved from “run” to “cutoff” shortly before the descent, indicating a manual fuel shutdown.

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The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) initially found no mechanical fault, crew error, or weather factor. In 2024 it reiterated that the aircraft, systems and crew showed no abnormalities, denied any intentional act, and released no final report. A May 2022 Wall Street Journal story cited unnamed sources suggesting a cockpit-initiated command may have caused the crash.

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• Aircraft: Boeing 737-800.

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• Route: Kunming -> Guangzhou; contact lost over Wuzhou.

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• Occupants: 123 passengers, nine crew (132 fatalities).

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• Fuel-switch movement at 29,000 feet; flight data recorder stopped at 26,000 feet.

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The NTSB report notes the simultaneous fuel-switch movement and no recorded attempt to return the levers to “run.” The agency has not issued an accident determination. The CAAC maintains its earlier stance that the crash was not intentional and found no system or crew deficiencies. China Eastern Airlines has not commented.

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Analysts criticize the CAAC for withholding a final report and not releasing the black-box recordings. Aviation safety expert Tony Stanton of Strategic Air warns that NTSB data alone does not prove motive or identify who moved the switches, emphasizing the need for validation with cockpit-voice-recorder data and aircraft state information.

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NTSB data suggests a deliberate fuel-cutoff, while CAAC statements deny intentional act. The CVR recordings obtained by U.S. investigators have not been released, leaving cockpit dialogue unknown. No conclusion exists on whether a pilot, another crew member, or an unauthorized individual operated the switches.

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• “It was found that while cruising at 29,000 feet, the fuel switches on both engines moved from the run position to the cutoff position. Engine speeds decreased after the fuel switch movement,” — David Soucie, CNN aviation safety analyst

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• “There is no indication the switches were placed back to the on position. That indicates there was no attempt to restart the engines,” — David Soucie

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• “The released material does not by itself prove motive, intent, or who moved the switches,” — Tony Stanton, Strategic Air

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• “The plane did what it was told to do by someone in the cockpit,” — Source familiar with American officials, cited by The Wall Street Journal

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If a deliberate fuel-cutoff caused the crash, it raises concerns about cockpit security, pilot mental-health screening, and investigation transparency. The gap between U.S. data and Chinese findings also highlights challenges in aviation safety cooperation.

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The CAAC has not announced further steps, and no updated Chinese report has appeared since 2024. Observers call for the CVR transcript and a joint analysis with NTSB data to resolve contradictions. Continued scrutiny could prompt diplomatic or regulatory actions to improve investigation transparency.

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