NTSB Data Shows Fuel Cutoff Before 2022 China Eastern Flight Crash
1 hour agoPolitics
60LENS
2 SourcesShanghai, China
TBNthebalanced.news

NTSB Data Shows Fuel Cutoff Before 2022 China Eastern Flight Crash

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released flight data indicating that the fuel supply to both engines of China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 was switched off simultaneously before the plane crashed in March 2022, killing all 132 onboard. This data, obtained via a Freedom of Information request, suggests deliberate fuel cutoff. Chinese authorities have not released a full investigation report, while similar past incidents have involved pilot actions.

Political Bias
5%93%2%
Sentiment
28%
AI analysis of 2 sources · Published under editorial oversight by The Balanced News
Analysed 6 May 2026· How this analysis is produced· Editorial standards· Corrections

AI Analysis

Political bias across 2 sources
● Left 5%● Center 93%● Right 2%

The articles primarily present factual information from the U.S. NTSB without political framing. They reference Chinese regulatory silence and past incidents involving pilot actions, reflecting a focus on aviation safety and investigation transparency rather than political viewpoints. The coverage is technical and investigative, with no evident partisan perspectives.

Sentiment — Negative (28/100)

The tone across the articles is neutral and factual, focusing on the release of investigative data and its implications. There is no emotional language or sensationalism; instead, the coverage emphasizes the seriousness of the crash and the ongoing lack of a full official report from Chinese authorities, resulting in a measured and informative sentiment.

How 2 sources covered this story

Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.

SourceTheir headlineBiasSentiment
theprintUS report China Eastern jet fuel supply was off ahead of deadly 2022 crashCenterNeutral
theprintUS report says fuel supply was switched off in 2022 China Eastern crashCenterNegative

Coverage timeline

theprint broke this story on 6 May, 10:38 am. Other outlets followed.

  1. 1
    theprint6 May, 10:38 am
    US report says fuel supply was switched off in 2022 China Eastern crash
  2. 2
    theprint6 May, 10:16 pm
    US report China Eastern jet fuel supply was off ahead of deadly 2022 crash

Lens Score breakdown

60/100
Public interest52/100
Coverage gap100%

Moderately important story that could benefit from broader coverage.

Accountability flags

TBN's analysis identified the following accountability dimensions in this story.

  • cover up attempted

    This story involves evidence of information being withheld, records altered, or facts suppressed by the parties involved.

  • public safety issue

    This story involves a risk to public safety — infrastructure failure, regulatory lapse, hazardous conditions, or emergency mishandling.

Who's involved

Institutions and figures named across source coverage.

Government
Aircraft Accident Investigation BureauChina Ministry of Foreign AffairsChina Eastern AirlinesCivil Aviation Administration of China
Corporate
Boeing

Story context

Category
Politics
Location
Shanghai, China
Sources analysed
2
Last analysed
6 May 2026
Key entities
National Transportation Safety BoardChinaJet aircraftChina Eastern AirlinesFlight recorderReutersAircrewAviationFirst officer (aviation)Boeing 737 Next GenerationAir IndiaAirbus A320 family