Veteran pilot flew crashed jet
A woman reacts as a group of people are escorted from the Reflection Room at San Francisco International Airport where officials were helping passengers aboard Asiana Flight 214 that crashed during landing Saturday. / AP-Yonhap
By Kim Tae-gyu
The Asiana Airlines’ Boeing 777, which crash-landed in San Francisco Saturday claiming two lives and injuring over a hundred, was flown by one of the best qualified and most experienced pilots at Korea’s No. 2 carrier.
A source familiar with the issue said Sunday that the 49-year-old, Lee Jeong-min, had more than 25 years experience flying both military fighters and large-sized commercial aircraft.
“In the Air Force, Lee was selected to fly the F-4 because he was one of the best fighter pilots with the F-5 which all Korean fighter pilots start with. After serving in the military for 10 years, he joined Asiana in 1996,” said the source who asked to remain anonymous.
“He was also a leading expert in big-sized commercial aircraft.”
A blame game is expected to follow the crash.
Although both sides trying to avoid speculation, Korean experts tend to stress that the chief pilot was experienced and those in the cockpit were aware that the airplane was in trouble while landing.
Witnesses said that the plane approached San Francisco International Airport at an awkward angle with the tail way lower than the nose.
They claim that such a capable pilot as Lee, who had flown far riskier fighters for 10 years, would be responsible for such a mistake if there were no mechanical or electrical problems with the aircraft.
Meanwhile, others hinted at pilot error, saying the crew apparently lost control of one of the safest airplanes in the world on a clear summer day.
They cited remarks of witnesses who said the 777 flew dangerously low seconds before the crash with no warning to passengers.
Since Boeing introduced its first 777 in 1994, more than 1,100 have been manufactured and only one has been in a major accident, but without any fatalities.
Both Asiana and Boeing said Sunday that they are awaiting the results of an official investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has yet to determine what its focus will be.
“In accordance with the international protocol governing aviation accident investigations, all inquiries about the investigation must be directed to the NTSB,” Boeing said in a statement.
Asiana CEO Yoon Young-doo told a press conference that chances were low that the plane or its engines had any faults. He also stressed that the four pilots (two relief crew) on board were all veterans. Three of them each had more than 10,000 hours flying experience, and the remaining one was just below 10,000.
Asiana has recently tried to expand its operations in the U.S. Its Boeing 777s can carry over 300 passengers. It has 12 B777 twin-engine jets, which can fly 14 hours non-stop.