July 6 marks the tenth anniversary of the accident involving an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 in San Francisco. It also marks a decade since the last fatal airliner accident in the United States.
Flight 214 was in the landing phase when the airplane hit a breakwater just before the runway threshold. Three people died and 181 were injured. On board the airplane were 291 passengers and 16 crew members.
Officially a decade has passed since the last fatal airliner accident in the USA. So, what caused the 2013 Asiana tragedy, and what have we learned since then?
The Flight 214 accident
On July 6, 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed on final approach into San Francisco International Airport, killing three people and injuring 181 others.
The crash was the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 777 since the aircraft entered service in 1995, and it led to important safety improvements in the aviation industry.
The crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was a tragedy, but it was also a turning point in aviation safety. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the crash and found that the flight crew had mismanaged the approach and had not properly monitored the aircraft’s airspeed.
As a result, the plane descended below the desired glidepath and stalled, crashing onto the runway.
The NTSB’s findings led to changes in the training of pilots and the design of autopilot systems. Pilots are now taught to be more aware of their airspeed and to be more proactive in managing the approach. Autopilot systems have also been modified to prevent them from being inadvertently disengaged.
The crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was a reminder of the importance of safety in aviation. However, it also showed that the aviation industry is committed to learning from its mistakes and making the skies safer for everyone.
Factors that led to the crash
The NTSB’s investigation into the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 identified a number of factors that contributed to the accident. These included:
The flight crew’s mismanagement of the approach. The captain was flying the plane for the first time on that route, and he did not properly follow the approach procedures. As a result, the plane was well above the desired glidepath.
The flight crew’s failure to properly monitor the aircraft’s airspeed. The pilots were focused on other aspects of the approach, and they did not notice that the airspeed was decreasing.
The autopilot system’s disengagement. The autopilot system was disengaged in response to the captain’s selection of an inappropriate autopilot mode. This resulted in the autothrottle no longer controlling airspeed.
Safety improvements that followed the crash
The NTSB’s findings led to a number of safety improvements in the aviation industry. These included:
Changes in the training of pilots. Pilots are now taught to be more aware of their airspeed and to be more proactive in managing the approach.
Modifications to autopilot systems. Autopilot systems have been modified to prevent them from being inadvertently disengaged.
New procedures for managing the approach. New procedures have been developed for managing the approach to San Francisco International Airport. These procedures are designed to help pilots avoid the errors that were made in the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 accident.
The legacy of Asiana Airlines Flight 214
The crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was a tragedy, but it also led to important safety improvements in the aviation industry. The NTSB’s findings and the safety improvements that followed the crash have helped to make the skies safer for everyone.
The crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 is a reminder of the importance of safety in aviation. However, it also shows that the aviation industry is committed to learning from its mistakes and making the skies safer for everyone.