An NTSB analysis of wreckage data indicates the cockpit crew intentionally shut off fuel to both engines roughly eight kilometers into the flight, leading to a deliberate crash into a mountainside in Guangxi in March 2022 with 132 fatalities.

China has faced criticism for not releasing a final report, with officials warning disclosure could threaten national security and social stability, even as international investigators seek clarity.

Chinese authorities have not published a complete final report on the crash; since 2024, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has stopped issuing annual progress reports on investigations, citing national security and social stability concerns.

Initial Chinese statements said there were no abnormalities before takeoff and that weather was benign; the crew was reportedly rested on the Kunming–Guangzhou flight.

Before this release, investigators considered multiple possible causes, including deliberate action, pilot error or other technical issues, and air controllers reported no response from the aircraft during descent.

The NTSB analyzed data from the plane’s black box at its Washington, D.C. laboratory, with the information released under FOIA.

The NTSB released the information based on data from one cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage; a U.S.-built Boeing 737-800’s data prompted U.S. involvement in transparency efforts.

The US NTSB released findings from one of the aircraft’s black boxes indicating that fuel switches for both engines on China Eastern flight MU5735 were moved to the cut-off position while cruising at about 29,000 feet, suggesting a deliberate action as a possible cause of the crash.

Engine speeds decreased after the fuel switch movement, which supports theories that the crash was not due to a simple technical failure but potentially intentional action by someone on board.

The crash of China Eastern Flight 5735 killed all 132 people on board, raising ongoing questions about flight safety and international involvement in the investigation.

There has been ongoing speculation about pilot suicides or deliberate action, which authorities have cautioned against prematurely concluding, noting the investigation remains active and national security concerns are at play.

Flight tracking data showed the aircraft plunging from cruising altitude to a very low altitude within minutes, with the last recorded altitude around 3,225 feet.