Asiana Airlines Flight 214: Cleared for Landing

Two days after Asiana Airlines Flight 214 tattered across the San Francisco runway and burst into flames, killing two teenagers and injuring 180 passengers, the investigators gave no indication of mechanical or external problems, suggesting the cockpit holds vital clues.

Passengers inside the flight have reported all was normal until they heard a loud bang. All of a sudden there was a lot of smoke and debris coming from the back of the plane. It has been noted that the conditions in San Francisco were perfect, potentially ruling out any sort of weather interference.

There are many uncertainties surrounding this crash, however, Asiana Flight 214 reported that they had the airport in sight and were cleared for visual approach. The flight originated in Shanghai, China, stopped over in Seoul, South Korea, before making the nearly 11-hour trip to San Francisco. The South Korea-based airline said four South Korean pilots were on board, three of whom were described as skilled.

Investigators said Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was traveling “significantly below” the target speed during its approach and that the crew tried to abort the landing just before it smashed onto the runway. What they don’t yet know is whether the pilot’s inexperience with the Boeing 777 and at San Francisco’s airport played a role. Officials said the probe will also focus on whether the airport or plane’s equipment also could have malfunctioned.

At impact the plane’s airspeed was about 106 knots, well below the 137 knots it should have been going as it crossed the runway said Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board. In laymen terms, the Asiana Airlines jet was traveling 39 mph below the target speed of 158 mph just seconds before it crashed.

New questions have surfaced about the training of pilots for fast growing foreign airlines as federal crash investigators prepare to interview the pilots of Asiana Flight 214. The South Korean Transport Ministry said the pilot was in “transition training” to become certified as a captain on the Boeing 777. Saturday was the first time he had tried to land a 777 at San Francisco International Airport.    Continue reading article at:  http://guardianlv.com/2013/07/asiana-airlines-flight-214-cleared-for-landing-video/