Jet Crash Mystery Remains After China’s One-Page Initial Report

  • Limited detail suggests China is taking a cautious approach
  • Authorities said more time needed to determine accident cause

A second black box is recovered from the China Eastern Airlines crash site in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, on March 27.

Source: Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images

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Chinese authorities said they need more time to determine what caused a China Eastern Airlines Corp. jet to plunge into a hillside last month, offering few new clues to a mystery that resulted in the deaths of 132 passengers and crew.

Investigators are still analyzing data from the two black boxes on the Boeing Co. 737-800 NG aircraft, according to a one-page summary of the report posted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. No evidence has emerged of any pre-flight mechanical failure, weather issue or problem with the pilots’ qualifications, it said.