A China Eastern flight plunged straight down from 30,000 feet on Monday, killing all 132 people on board.

The tragedy, China’s first commercial plane crash in 12 years, has shocked the country and baffled investigators.

Chinese investigators says the extensive damage caused to the Boeing 737-800 aircraft will make it difficult to establish what happened.

Jet pilot and aeroplane crash litigatation expert from The Wolk law firm, Arthur Wolk, says there are only a couple of possible explanations.

“Obviously one is an explosion that had caused the loss of the tail, but if it’s a controlled malfunction it could just be an out of control horizontal stabiliser,” he told Ross and Russel.

“It’s also possible to have what’s called runaway trim where the trim moves the aircraft stabiliser so far, without the pilot doing anything, and before the pilots can react the aircraft is nose down.

“Obviously if someone took over the cockpit and was bent on destroying the plane, it’s always possible.”

Mr Wolk says the crash adds to concerns about Boeing 737s.

“It’s extremely popular — over 4000 are flying every single day. It’s an extremely safe aeroplane generally, but I think you know my feelings about the 737,” he said.

“The Boeing 737 needs to stop crashing straight down.

“We in our own firm have handed about half a dozen cases of various reasons why 737s crash straight down, and if the control malfunctions in those aeroplanes allow that loss of control they need to be changed.”

Press PLAY below to hear Mr Wolk’s thoughts in full

The final, harrowing seconds of a passenger jet have been filmed, as it plummeted into remote mountains in southern China with 132 people on board.

A recovery mission is underway, with experts suggesting the plane’s flight data might indicate foul play. @GenoveseMichael #9News pic.twitter.com/gu0DMAqk09

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) March 22, 2022

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