China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 — aircraft crash in the People's Republic of China on March 21, 2022
The crash killed all 132 aboard, making it the deadliest aviation accident of 2022 and the third-deadliest in Chinese history.
Key Facts
- Flight number
- MU5735 (China Eastern Airlines)
- Aircraft type
- Boeing 737-800
- Total fatalities
- 132 people
- Date and time of crash
- 21 March 2022, 14:23 CST
- Route
- Kunming to Guangzhou
- Crash location
- Teng County, Wuzhou, Guangxi, China
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Flight data recorder data released in 2026 showed that the fuel control switches for both engines were moved to the cutoff position mid-flight, causing both engines to shut down. Seconds later, a control stick in the cockpit was pushed forward. These actions are more consistent with a deliberate act than a mechanical failure, though no final accident report has been issued.
On 21 March 2022, China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735, a Boeing 737-800, descended steeply during a domestic flight from Kunming to Guangzhou and struck the ground at high speed in Teng County, Wuzhou, Guangxi. All 132 passengers and crew members on board were killed in the impact.
The crash became the deadliest aviation accident of 2022 and the third-deadliest in Chinese aviation history. The CAAC investigation drew international criticism for missing required reporting deadlines. NTSB data released in 2026 following a FOIA request pointed toward deliberate action, though China's civil aviation authority has not published a final report as of 2026.