Pilot says he mistook concrete mound for dirt pile at Muan airport, received no guidance

A pilot with seven years of experience at Muan International Airport testified that he had never been informed about the existence of a concrete mound housing a localizer (instrument landing system) on the runway, nor had he been able to distinguish it from a dirt pile. The concrete structure is believed to have significantly exacerbated the accident's severity, as the aircraft's collision with the solid mound during its belly landing is thought to have triggered the catastrophic explosion. The pilot and flight instructor, who has used Muan Airport for seven years, told Yonhap News on Thursday, "I’ve seen the mound from the air during countless takeoffs and landings and assumed it was a dirt pile. It never occurred to me that it was made of concrete." He said, "There was no indication in the airport charts or separate guidance mentioning that the mound was a 2-meter-high, 4-meter-thick concrete structure. Other pilots were also unaware of its true nature." He also addressed the bird strike issue, which has been suggested as a possible cause of the accident. He said pilots regularly monitor bird activity using the Airport Terminal Information Service. "In my experience, bird strikes happen roughly once a year, typically affecting the wings. We always check weather conditions via frequency transmissions, and Muan airport has been issuing daily bird activity advisories lately, with air traffic controllers notifying us if birds are on the runway," he said.<br/>