- In the recent findings, it has been discovered that at least one piece of the Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) 737-800 that crashed in China appears to have broken loose well before impact, reported Bloomberg.
- The piece was found about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the main wreckage area, stated Chinese officials at a briefing Thursday.
- If confirmed that the part came from the China Eastern Airlines Corp. Ltd. jet, it would indicate the plane suffered some kind of midair breakup, shedding light on the flight’s final seconds.
- Related: Boeing 737 Passenger Jet Of China Eastern Airlines Crashes With 132 On Board: Bloomberg
- “The questions are: exactly what piece was it and when did it come off?” mentioned Jeff Guzzetti, the former chief of accident investigations at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
- Guzzetti mentions it most likely occurred as the plane plummeted from a cruising altitude of about 29,000 feet in about 1 minute and 35 seconds.
- “In my view, that’s the aircraft shedding parts as it’s coming down,” he stated. If that’s the case, it will provide clues about the plane’s speed and possible pilot maneuvers.
- As per the data collected by the Flightradar24 tracking service, The aircraft didn’t break apart completely. It continued to transmit its position until it reached 3,225 feet, suggesting the main structure remained intact.
- Price Action: BA shares are trading lower by 0.14% at $188.78 during the premarket session on Friday.
