The Boeing Co. 737-800 NG model that crashed in China on Monday is considered one of the safest aircraft ever made.
The China Eastern Airlines Corp. jetliner carrying 132 people from Kunming in Yunnan province to the manufacturing center of Guangzhou fell rapidly from cruising altitude, according to Flightradar24.
The 6-year-old single-aisle jet is part of the NG, or Next Generation, era that preceded the 737 Max, which was subjected to a global grounding after two deadly crashes. The NG has one of the best safety records among all aircraft, with just 11 fatal accidents out of more than 7,000 planes delivered since 1997, according to aviation consultancy Cirium.
