According to the aviation industry, on December 30, Jeju Air Flight 7C101, departing from Gimpo Airport to Jeju at 6:37 am, experienced a landing gear malfunction shortly after takeoff.
Jeju Air informed the 161 passengers on board of the landing gear defect and diverted the flight to Gimpo Airport. The plane landed at 7.25am and was expected to resume operations after replacing the aircraft.
Landing gear is a critical component that ensures flight safety, supports smooth takeoffs and landings, and mitigates impact during emergency landings. In the recent tragedy, all three landing gears were reported to have failed, making it a key factor in the accident.
The aircraft involved in the diversion was a Boeing B737-800, the same model as the one involved in the previous day’s accident. Of the 41 aircraft in Jeju Air’s fleet, 39 belong to this model.
A Jeju Air representative said: “The diversion was a necessary measure to ensure safe operations. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers.”
