Mismanaged approach, complex cockpit cited in Asiana crash

A mismanaged approach for landing in a highly automated cockpit was the probable cause of last July's crash of a South Korean airliner in San Francisco, US investigators said on Tuesday.

Three young Chinese citizens died and 182 people suffered injuries when Asiana Flight 214 from Seoul clipped a sea wall with its landing gear, then crashed and burst into flames, in the first commercial airliner disaster in the United States since 2009.

"In this investigation, we have learned that pilots must understand and command automation, and not become over-reliant on it," said acting chairman Christopher Hart of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

"The pilot must always be the boss," added Hart, a licensed pilot himself, at the end of a day-long NTSB hearing that concluded the federal agency's probe into the July 6, 2013 disaster.

While the Boeing 777 was in the hands of "a seasoned flight crew with a good safety record, they misunderstood the automated systems at their command," Hart said.

The NTSB, which never explicitly assigns blame, refrained from explicitly accusing the Asiana crew of pilot error.

Instead, it cited a long and varied list of contributing factors, from the Boeing 777's automated throttle system to pilot fatigue and jet lag after an otherwise routine 10-1/2 hour trans-Pacific hop.

Investigators testified that captain Lee Kang-Kuk, a seasoned Airbus A320 pilot transitioning to the bigger Boeing 777, cut the autopilot on final approach into San Francisco, where the instrument landing system was out of service on an otherwise clear sunny day.

Doing so put the auto-throttle on hold, meaning it would no longer automatically control airspeed, explained investigator-in-chief Bill English.

When the jet dipped below the correct glide path, Lee reacted by pulling the nose up - but the auto-throttle, still on hold, failed to deliver an expected burst of engine power that would have enabled the airliner to make the runway.

"The Boeing 777 is one of the more sophisticated and automated aircraft in service," Hart said.

"But the more complex automation becomes, the more challenging it is to ensure that pilots adequately understand it," he added.

English said Asiana, established in 1988 as a rival to Korean Air, emphasized "maximum use of automation" by its pilots, including the use of autopilots at as low as 1,000 feet (330 meters) from the ground.

Without mentioning Lee by name, English said the captain lacked sufficient practice in hand-flying the airplane, without the help of instrumentation.

"Pilot skills degrade if not practiced," he noted.

Lee flew into San Francisco with an instructor in the co-pilot's seat, Lee Jung-Min, who himself was freshly certified to train new 777 pilots. A first officer was in a jump seat.

While finding issues in the cockpit, the NTSB hailed the fact that 99 percent of the passengers and crew survived - and that 98 percent "self-evacuated" from the burning wreckage.

Flight attendants had performed "admirably and bravely," said Hart, who stressed the role that seat belts played in saving so many lives.

Of the three fatalities, one was hit by an exit door, while the others - hurled out of the aircraft on impact - had been seen by other passengers not buckling their seat belts for landing.

One of those passengers was later struck by a fire truck as she awaited help beneath the left wing.

For the flying public, Hart said, the lesson is clear: "Pay attention to your cabin crew's instructions. Make sure you are buckled in."

Asiana meanwhile said the NTSB "has properly recognised the multiple factors that contributed to the accident, including the complexities of the auto-throttle and autopilot systems, which the agency found were inadequately described by Boeing in its training and operational manuals."

"We again express our great sorrow for the accident, the loss of life and the injuries sustained by the passengers and crew."

"The NTSB made four training recommendations to Asiana, all of which Asiana has already implemented," the airline added in its statement.

In a statement, Boeing "respectfully" disagreed with the NTSB's suggestion that the complexity of its automated cockpits was a factor in the first fatal accident ever involving its 777 model, in service for two decades.

It said its auto-flight system had been used successfully for more than 200 million flight hours across several airplane models, and for more than 55 million safe landings.

"The evidence collected during this investigation demonstrates that all of the airplane's systems performed as designed," Boeing said.

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India "disappointed" after US downgrades air safety ranking

US aviation authorities have downgraded India's safety ranking in a "disappointing" and "surprising" move that will hit air links between the countries, India's aviation minister said on Friday.

The US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded India after conducting an audit last year of the country's aviation regulator that found 31 issues of safety concern, a ministry statement said.

The issues include the need for more and better trained full-time inspectors employed by the regulator tasked with carrying out safety checks on all types of aircraft and helicopters in India, it said.

"They have downgraded us to category 2. It is very disappointing and also surprising," Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said at a press conference in New Delhi.

The FAA has "determined that India at this time is not in compliance with the international standards for aviation safety oversight," according to FAA notes given to Indian regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The rating downgrade brings India below Pakistan and on a par with countries like Bangladesh, Ghana and Indonesia, according to FAA.

The downgrading effectively bars Air India and Jet Airways from increasing flights to the US, and additional safety checks will now be imposed on existing flights to the United States, the FAA's website shows.

Currently, Air India has 21 flights to the US per week while Jet Airway flies seven.

Indian airlines will also have to snap ties with US airlines, according to the website, but DGCA chief Prabhat Kumar said the downgrade would not affect the code-share agreement.

Jet has a code-share agreement with United Airlines currently, while Air India is joining Star Alliance.

Singh said 95 per cent of issues raised by the FAA have been resolved, while the remainder were expected to be resolved by March, adding it was the first time India had suffered a downgrade.

"They (FAA) should have based their decision on the situation now," said Singh, adding that the FAA's downgrade was based on air safety in September.
Diplomatic spat

The downgrade is the latest controversy between the US and India, which are attempting to put diplomatic relations back on track after outrage in December over the arrest and strip search of an Indian envoy in New York.

The envoy, Devyani Khobragade, was arrested on charges of visa fraud involving her domestic servant and lying about how much she paid her. Khobragande denied any wrongdoing and eventually returned to India after a deal was struck between the two nations to mend their relations.

In a bid to head off the downgrade, the government announced two days ago that 75 new positions would be created in the DGCA to carry out safety inspections.

"This is an important step that will aid in India regaining its former Category 1 status in the future," the FAA said in its notes to the DCGA and released by the minister.

"The United States Government commends the Indian government for taking these important actions and looks forward to continued progress by Indian authorities," the FAA said.

India's aviation sector has grown enormously in the last decade, as the 1.2-billion population becomes more affluent, boosting the number of international and domestic passengers.

But the sector has been hit in the past by safety scandals, including over fake pilots flying with fake qualifications in 2001.

Police made several arrests over the scandal involving cases of pilots exaggerating their flying time while training and other irregularities.

In one such case, a captain who made several bad landings was found to have submitted faked paperwork to gain her licence.

Experts said they expected the downgrade as the aviation regulator had failed to address earlier FAA warnings in a given period of time.

"The decision of the FAA to downgrade is both embarrassing and disgraceful... but one could see it coming," former Air India executive director Jitendra Bhargava told AFP. "The DGCA should take this as a wake up call."

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Boeing profits up but 2014 outlook lags expectations

US aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday reported a big jump in quarterly earnings, but signalled a leaner 2014 profit outlook after last year's boom.

Boeing's fourth quarter ended on a high note, with the company achieving record annual commercial aircraft deliveries on its way to notching a 26.1 percent rise in profits compared with the year-ago period.

But Boeing's 2014 earnings forecast pointed to headwinds in both its commercial and defence divisions.

One ripple effect from the late-2013 surge in commercial deliveries was that some of the late-2013 deliveries came early and at the expense of 2014 results, Boeing executives said. As a result, the company now forecasts essentially flat 2014 per-share earnings compared with the 20 percent gain in 2013.

Also weighing on results: the continued drag of lower US defence spending in the wake of government budget cuts. Boeing forecast revenues of $30-$31 billion in 2014 in its defence division, down from $33.2 billion in 2013.

Boeing chief executive Jim McNerney said a late-2013 federal government budget deal brings some relief from some of the worst effects of the sharp sequestration budget cuts.

"That said, we remain very concerned about longer-term budget uncertainty and the ultimate consequences of sequestration on national security, and the potential devastating impact to the nation's industrial base," McNerney said.

McNerney, addressing analysts for the first time since the company announced senior executive changes in December, also said he is not planning to retire "anytime soon."

The Boeing announcement included the promotion of Dennis Muilenburg to president, fueling speculation about McNerney's plans.

"While you may be seeing more of them, it doesn't mean you'll be seeing less of me," McNerney said.

Net earnings in the October-December period were $1.2 billion on revenues of $23.8 billion, compared with $978 million on revenues of $22.3 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Boeing reported full-year 2013 earnings of $4.6 billion on revenues of $86.6 billion, up 17.6 from the 2012 profits of $3.9 billion on revenues of $81.7 billion.

McNerney said the company has a "huge opportunity" after investing heavily in the 787 Dreamliner aircraft and other major new aircraft that are now able to be "harvested" through more cost-effective production.

Production on the 787 has reached 10 per month, but deliveries to customers are still at seven a month; the company said it wants to boost deliveries to 10 per month.

Boeing forecast 2014 earnings of $7.00-$7.20 per share, below analyst estimates for $7.57. Boeing earned $7.07 per share in 2013.

Boeing executives said 2014 earnings would also be hit by a one-time cash payment of $300 million to Washington state workers following an agreement with the International Association of Machinists on a new long-term contract.

Boeing was the best performer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2013, with shares soaring 80 percent as it benefited from a surge in airline investment, but some analysts think the company's streak is losing momentum.

"2013 was a year loaded with positive surprises on many fronts," said Barclays. "With shares having re-rated so significantly over the course of 2013, we think it is becoming increasingly difficult to argue for upside."

Boeing shares were down 5.4 percent at $129.76 in midday trade.

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Southwest Airlines to launch international flights

Southwest Airlines, the US airline that launched a low-cost air travel revolution four decades ago, said on Monday it is expanding its horizons for the first time to international service.

The largest carrier of domestic passengers in the United States began selling seats on its first-ever scheduled international flights to three Caribbean beach destinations - Aruba; Nassau, the Bahamas; and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Beginning on July 1, Southwest will operate daily, non-stop flights from Atlanta, the Baltimore/Washington airport, and Orlando to those destinations.

The expansion comes with Southwest's integration with AirTran Airways, which it acquired in 2011. Southwest expects to complete the integration and retire the AirTran brand by the end of the year.

By the end of 2014, Southwest plans to be operating the former Air Tran flights to Mexico's Cancun, Los Cabos, and Mexico City, and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Chief executive Gary Kelly said the opening of bookings marked "the final lap in the journey to make possible our international future."

"Today's milestone enables us to reach new territory, new customers, and build upon a four-decade foundation of doing right by the travelers who trust our value and our people," said Kelly.

Southwest, which has been in service since 1971, has bucked the airline industry trend of added fees, notably refusing to charge for the first two bags of checked luggage.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Southwest ended 2013 with full-year earnings of $754 million, up from $421 million in 2012. The company has posted 41 consecutive years of profitability.

Shares in Southwest closed at $20.61, down 1.1 percent from Friday, in an overall lower market.

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US moves ahead on plan to allow phone use in planes

US regulators Thursday opened the door to allowing mobile phone use on airplanes -- an issue that has stirred howls of protest over the potential for disruption in the skies.

The Federal Communication Commission's 3-2 vote came after chairman Tom Wheeler said the action would merely publish rules for public comment, and determine the technical feasibility of in-flight phone use.

"This is a rule about technology, this is not a rule about usage," Wheeler said ahead of the vote.

"I don't want to listen to the business conversations of the person sitting next to me .. but if technology eliminates interference and therefore eliminates the need for the interference protection rule, then we ought to eliminate the rule."

Some 60 members of Congress signed a letter urging the regulatory agency to allow only text and Internet services in flight, without voice calls.

Wheeler said however that potential problems should be addressed in the rule-making process, and that other agencies as well as airlines would be charged with determining whether to permit voice calls during flight.

"Without this proposal, you would not be able to email or to text or surf the Web," Wheeler said.

Separately, US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx made a similar point, saying the FCC's only role "is to examine the technical feasibility of the use of mobile devices in flight."

Foxx said his agency's responsibility "is to determine if allowing these calls is fair to consumers" and "will now begin a process that will look at the possibility of banning these in-flight calls."

FCC member Jessica Rosenworcel voted to move forward on the proposal but voiced concerns over the prospect on in-flight calls.

Rosenworcel said that even though the FCC members were considering the matter as "technicians," that "does not absolve ourselves of the consequences of our decision."

She added that she feared an end to the prevailing quiet atmosphere in airplane cabins and expressed concern "that our safety would be compromised" by allowing such calls.

Commissioner Ajit Pai voted against the proposal, saying it "sets an unfortunate precedent when it comes to licensing" of spectrum for in-flight communications.

Pai said the proposal would grant the spectrum to airlines at a time without when mobile operators were spending "tens of billions" of dollars in spectrum auctions.

Additionally, Pai said safety and national security concerns had not been addressed and that he was disappointed there had been no comment from law enforcement agencies.

Wheeler argued however that the action "is intended to solicit input" and is not a final decision.

The FCC pointed out that foreign airlines have used onboard mobile access technology for years and that the agency "believes that these systems can be successfully deployed in the United States, and that the time has come to examine reforms to the agency's outdated rules with respect to mobile wireless service onboard aircraft."

"We are in support of new options for airline passengers to safely use wireless data for non-voice services such as text messaging, email, and Internet browsing; but we are adamantly opposed to the use of cellular voice services during flights," said the letter released by Representative Peter DeFazio.

The Swiss-based mobile communications firm OnAir said it supported the FCC's proposal, saying it "paves the way for US passengers to have the same inflight connectivity choices as passengers everywhere else in the world."

"Over four and a half million passengers use OnAir inflight connectivity each year and what is very striking is that there has not been one single complaint about disruption caused by phone calls," said Ian Dawkins, chief executive of OnAir. "Mobile OnAir is available on every continent apart from North America. People from all over the world, including Americans, use it every day."

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American Airlines orders 90 jets from Embraer, Bombardier

American Airlines kicked off its freshly minted status as the world's largest carrier on Thursday with an aggressive order for $3.9 billion worth of regional jets from Brazil's Embraer and Canada's Bombardier.

Three days after completing its merger with US Airways, the new American said it had inked deals to buy 30 CJR900 NextGen aircraft from Bombardier, and 60 Embraer E175s.

Bombardier said its deal was worth $1.42 billion, while Embraer put a $2.5 billion value on its order.

American also has options to buy an additional 40 CJR900s and 90 E175s.

American said the 76-seat regional jets ordered will replace less efficient 50-seat jets it currently operates on short- and medium-haul flights.

They will all be flown under the American Eagle regional brand.

The CJR900s, which will be delivered beginning in the second quarter of next year, will be configured with 12 first-class seats, 32 "main cabin extra" seats and 32 regular seats, American said.

The E175s, the first of which will arrive in the first quarter of 2015, will have 12 first-class, 20 main cabin extra and 44 regular seats.

All of the aircraft will be powered by General Electric CF34-8 engines, American said.

"Now that we've closed our merger with US Airways, we can deliver a top-tier regional product that offers a first-class cabin, main cabin extra and in-flight wi-fi -- important elements of an improved flying experience for our customers," said Kenji Hashimoto, American's senior vice president for regional carriers.

The new aircraft "will greatly improve economic efficiencies by lowering operating costs," he said in a statement.

Including this latest order from American Airlines, Embraer, the world's third-largest commercial aircraft manufacturer behind Boeing and Airbus, said it has received orders and options for more than 700 E-jets from US airlines this year.

Paulo Cesar Silva, president and chief executive of Embraer Commercial Aviation, hailed the "remarkable order" from American.

"American achieved impressive results with the ERJ145 aircraft family, and we are sure that will continue with the E175," he said.

Mike Arcamone, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, said the CJR900 offers major cost savings on fuel and a lower environmental impact, which with its "outstanding" cabin amenities, are "all core priorities for today's competitive airlines".

The order is the first announced after American completed on Monday its merger with US Airways, a combination that made it the world's largest carrier.

The merger came after the two agreed to give up a number of slots and other rights at several US airports to satisfy the concerns of US antitrust authorities who feared the new American would over-consolidate the power of the country's top four carriers and hurt consumer choice.

It also came as American itself emerges from bankruptcy reorganisation.

The $11 billion merger was first announced in February, but was held up by an antitrust lawsuit from the US government and backed by several states, worried about the combined airline's potential monopoly power.

The shares of the new American, which began trading Monday on the Nasdaq exchange under the AAL symbol, were up 1.7 percent at $26.44 in early trade Thursday.

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New American Airlines emerges as world's top carrier

American Airlines and US Airways merged on Monday to create the new American Airlines, the world's largest airline, after overcoming concerns that it will hurt competition and raise travellers' costs.

AMR Corporation, the former parent of American Airlines, and US Airways Group announced in a statement they had completed the deal after AMR emerged from bankruptcy protection.

The new American Airlines Group is a goliath, providing nearly 6,700 daily flights to more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries.

"Our people, our customers and the communities we serve around the world have been anticipating the arrival of the new American," said Doug Parker, chief executive of American Airlines and the former chairman and CEO of US Airways.

"We are taking the best of both US Airways and American Airlines to create a formidable competitor, better positioned to deliver for all of our stakeholders. We look forward to integrating our companies quickly and efficiently so the significant benefits of the merger can be realised."

The plan to create a third giant carrier to compete with US rivals United and Delta cleared a major hurdle in November after the Justice Department announced a settlement to resolve antitrust complaints seeking to block the merger.

Under the agreement, AMR and US Airways are giving up slots and other rights at seven key airports to low-cost airlines.

The agreement was joined by six states and Washington, DC, which also sought to block the merger, saying the new airline would have near-monopoly power in some routes and airports.

The two airlines are abandoning a significant number of slots at two of the busiest airports on the East Coast -- 34 at New York's La Guardia and 104 at Washington's Reagan National.

The new American is committed to maintaining hubs in New York's Kennedy International, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago's O'Hare, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Charlotte for three years.

The companies said on Monday there would be no immediate change to their operations. The integration of the two companies to achieve a Single Operating Certificate is expected to take approximately 18 to 24 months, they said.

As part of the combination, US Airways will exit Star Alliance on March 30 and will enter the next day the oneworld alliance, joining American with a group of airlines including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways.

"Customers will begin to see enhancements to their experience in early January, including the ability to earn and redeem miles when travelling on either American Airlines or US Airways, reciprocal American Admirals Club and US Airways Club benefits, and reciprocal elite recognition," the companies said.

The new American Airlines is expected to generate more than US$1 billion a year in synergies by 2015, they said.

American, which filed for bankruptcy protection in late 2011, won approval from the bankruptcy court in September to go ahead with the US$11 billion merger plan announced in February.

The August antitrust lawsuit stalled the merger, which the companies had expected to complete during the third quarter after garnering the approval of shareholders, creditors and European regulators.

The lawsuit argued that the tie-up would mean four airlines -- which it said have a history of "tacit coordination" instead of competition -- would control more than 80 per cent of the US commercial air travel market.

US Airways and American alone compete directly on more than 1,000 routes, it argued.

Shares in American Airlines began trading Monday at US$23.95 on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol AAL. After 90 minutes of trade, the stock was at US$24.49, after trading as low as US$23.45.

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Merged American Airlines to land on Nasdaq

American Airlines and US Airways, essentially cleared for merger next month, on Friday said that the combined company, the world's biggest airline, will trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

American's parent, AMR Corporation, and US Airways Group knocked down a major hurdle for their merger Tuesday by agreeing to drop airport slots and other rights at key airports in a proposed deal settling a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit.

Court approval of the deal appeared likely, and the two companies announced plans for the new American Airlines to debut on the tech-rich Nasdaq, abandoning the rival New York Stock Exchange where US Airways currently trades.

American used to be listed on the NYSE but is now being traded over the counter as it undergoes Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

"Upon closing of the merger and AMR's emergence from Chapter 11, the combined company will be renamed American Airlines Group Inc. and will use the ticker symbol AAL," the companies said in a joint statement.

US Airways and AMR common stock will be cancelled and current investors will receive shares in the combined group under the merger terms.

The companies expect to complete the merger in December.

"Today we moved another step closer in our preparations to launch the new American Airlines. NASDAQ offers a most advanced trading platform driven by innovation and efficiency -- qualities that complement the new American," Tom Horton, AMR chairman, president and chief executive, and incoming chairman of the new American, said in the statement.

"We are very excited about the listing of our shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market," said Doug Parker, chairman and CEO of US Airways, and incoming CEO of the new giant airline.

The head of Nasdaq OMX, operator of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Bob Greifeld, welcomed the planned market debut.

"We are pleased to have the new American Airlines call NASDAQ home and we look forward to celebrating many milestones with the company and its shareholders in the years to come," Greifeld said in the statement.

Nasdaq OMX crowed on Twitter about landing the big global airline. "SHARE this historic switch:@AmericanAir will be traded on #NASDAQ$AAL," it tweeted.

US Airways shares closed almost 1.0 per cent higher, AMR lost 1.5 per cent in over-the-counter trade and Nasdaq OMX dipped 0.3 per cent.

Shares in Intercontinental Exchange, which took over the NYSE Euronext on Wednesday, were up 1.6 per cent.

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Boeing mulls sites for new plane production after union rejection

US aerospace giant Boeing said Thursday it was reviewing site options to build its new 777X airplane after a key union rejected a contract extension at its Seattle base.

The International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 751 voted late Wednesday to turn down Boeing's proposal to extend by eight years the current contract that expires in 2016.

The contract extension notably would have reduced retirement benefits and provided a one percent pay increase every other year, in exchange for the long-term stability of production of the new long-range, twin-aisle plane.

A solid 67 percent of the roughly 31,000 members of the IAM machinists union who work for Boeing in the Seattle area of Washington state rejected the deal.

Boeing had argued that the contract extension would allow the company to maintain thousands of jobs in the Puget Sound area, home to its biggest aircraft plant in Everett, where the 777 family of airplanes is built.

"We are very disappointed in the outcome of the union vote," Ray Conner, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive, said in a statement.

"Our goal was two-fold: to enable the 777X and its new composite wing to be produced in Puget Sound and to create a competitive structure to ensure that we continue market-leading pay, health care and retirement benefits while preserving jobs and our industrial base here in the region," he said.

"But without the terms of this contract extension, we're left with no choice but to open the process competitively and pursue all options for the 777X."

IAM representative Tom Wroblewski said the union had preserved members' pensions, "something sacred" that will help members retire with more comfort and dignity.

"It is my belief that we represent the best aerospace workforce in the world and hope that as a result of this vote Boeing will not discard our skills when looking to place the 777X," Wroblewski said in a statement.

Boeing, headquartered in Chicago, signalled that the union rejection had shut the door to further negotiations.

"There are no plans to re-engage with the union regarding contract negotiations until prior to the current contract expiration in 2016," Boeing spokesman Doug Alder said in an email to AFP.

The spokesman declined to identify the potential 777X locations.

In late October, another Boeing spokesman, Marc Birtel, told AFP that the company would design its new 777X aircraft at five US sites and in Moscow, Russia, but had made no decision about using its key Washington state facilities.

Much of the detailed design will be carried out by Boeing engineering teams in Charleston, South Carolina; Huntsville, Alabama; Long Beach, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and St Louis, Missouri, the company told employees in an internal memo seen by AFP.

The 777X is Boeing's working name for its planned newest member of the 777 family. It plans to launch the 777X this year, with entry into service with launch customer Lufthansa expected around the end of the decade.

Shares in Dow member Boeing closed 1.4 percent higher at $135.09 in New York trade.

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RSAF trainee injured in training incident in US

A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) trainee was injured in a training incident in the United States.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said Lieutenant (LTA) Lu Zhen Yang Ephraim was undergoing a routine training flight and was in the backseat of a US Navy T-45C Goshawk training jet when it crash landed on the runway at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida on November 4 at 10.30am (US time).

The training jet was piloted by a US Navy instructor pilot.

LTA Lu sustained injuries to his left arm and rib and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

MINDEF said LTA Lu was on a Weapon Systems Officer (fighter) Course conducted by the US Navy.

MINDEF said the RSAF is assisting LTA Lu's family and added that the US Navy is investigating the cause of the crash.

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No mechanical problem with crashed jet: Asiana

The South Korean Boeing 777 which crashed in San Francisco after landing short of the runway was only seven years old and had no known mechanical problems, the Asiana Airlines CEO said Sunday.

"We purchased this airplane in March 2006... currently we understand that there are no engine or mechanical problems," Yoon Young-Doo told a press conference, adding that the two people killed were Chinese nationals.

South Korea's transport ministry said separately both the dead were female, born in 1996 and 1997.

The ministry said the plane's tail hit the runway and the aircraft veered to the left off the runway. A total of 181 people were injured.

Yoon said the crew had made an in-flight broadcast as usual, "asking passengers to buckle up for landing. There was no emergency alarm".

He said one pilot had more than 10,000 flying hours, and the other more than 9,000.

"Our pilots strictly comply with aviation rules," the CEO said.

He said the two people who died were passengers seated at the back of the plane.

"Please accept my deepest apology," the CEO said, bowing in front of TV cameras at the press conference.

"We'll make our utmost efforts to cope with the tragedy."

The plane, which originated in Shanghai and picked up passengers in South Korea before heading to San Francisco, had 291 passengers and 16 crew on board.

Among them, 141 were Chinese nationals, followed by 77 South Koreans, 61 Americans, one Japanese, three Indians, three Canadians, one French, one Vietnamese, three others with unidentified nationality and 16 crew.

Anxious relatives swarmed around Asiana's headquarters in Seoul, seeking details of the crash and the whereabouts of the victims.

"I'm very worried about my daughter. She called me a while ago saying she received injuries to the shoulder and legs," a middle-aged woman told journalists.

"But since then, I've heard no word from her. I wonder where she is now."

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye offered sympathies to victims and their relatives.

"I offer my deepest condolences to the victims and their relatives," her spokeswoman quoted her as saying.

"All government agencies concerned will join forces to provide all necessary assistance and resources to deal with the disaster."

A group of some 20 South Koreans including government officials and Asiana staff left on a special flight for San Francisco, the transport ministry said.

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Until the investigations are carried out and a conclusion comes about, there can only be speculations about what really happened before the crash. Some say the pilot decided to go-around but did it too late and the tail hit the tarmac before breaking up from the main body. What caused such an action from the pilot remains to be seen.

 

Two killed as Asiana jet crashes in San Francisco

An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 passenger jet crashed and burst into flames on Saturday as it landed short of the runway at San Francisco International Airport, killing two people and injuring
182 others.

Flight 214 had 307 people on board -- 291 passengers and 16 crew -- when it left Seoul. The aircraft apparently struck a rocky area at the water's edge short of the runway at the airport, a major international hub especially for flights to and from Asia.

"It is incredible and very lucky that we have so many survivors. But there are still many that are critically injured," said San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, who sent condolences to the families of those killed and hurt.

The plane's tail "hit the runway and the aircraft veered to the left out of the runway," South Korea's transportation ministry said in a statement on Sunday from Seoul.

Pictures showed the tail detached from the fuselage, and the landing gear had also sheared off.

The airport was closed immediately after the crash, but two runways later reopened. Some flights were diverted to Los Angeles.

Among those on board were 77 Koreans, 141 Chinese, 61 US citizens, and one Japanese national, Asiana said in a statement.

In Seoul, Asiana Airlines CEO Yoon Young-Doo said that there was nothing wrong with the airplane.

"We purchased this airplane in March 2006... currently we understand that there are no engine or mechanical problems," he said at a press conference, adding that the two people killed were Chinese nationals.

San Francisco General Hospital said it was treating 34 patients, five of them in critical condition. Other patients had been taken to different hospitals in the area.

In total, 123 people aboard the flight were uninjured, US officials said.

Survivor Elliott Stone told CNN that as it came in to land, it appeared the plane "sped up, like the pilot knew he was short."

"And then the back end just hit and flies up in the air and everybody's head goes up to the ceiling."

Video footage showed the jet on its belly surrounded by at least six fire engines that sprayed white foam on the wreckage. Debris was scattered on the runway and in the surrounding area.

"It looked normal at first... the wheels were down," an unidentified man who witnessed the crash told CNN. "It just hit (the seawall) like that and the whole thing just collapsed immediately.

"It just pancaked immediately. The wings caught on the tarmac."

A four-member South Korean government team was also heading to inspect the site of the accident, officials in Seoul said.

One dramatic photo tweeted by a survivor showed people streaming out of the jet following the crash-landing. An inflatable slide was at the front entrance. Other emergency exits also appeared to have been used.

"I just crash landed at SFO. Tail ripped off. Most everyone seems fine. I'm ok," the passenger, David Eun, wrote on Twitter.

But another photo from above showed a more distressing scene, with most of the roof of the plane missing and the cabin seating area charred by fire. The aircraft's wings were still attached.

"I saw some passengers bleeding and being loaded onto an ambulance," another passenger, Chun Ki-Wan, told YTN TV in Seoul.

"Everything seemed to be normal before it crash-landed."

Stone said he feared for the flight crew seated in the back of the plane, which took off in Shanghai, stopped in Seoul before heading to the United States.

"They were sitting in the back end and got hammered because we landed short. And then they all fell out and it was just the most terrible thing I've seen," he said.

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg was supposed to be on the flight with her family and three colleagues, but switched to a United flight and arrived in San Francisco some 20 minutes before the Asiana crash.

"Serious moment to give thanks," she wrote on her own Facebook page.

The White House said President Barack Obama had been briefed on the incident, noting: "His thoughts and prayers go out to the families who lost a loved one and all those affected by the crash."

Asiana is based in Seoul. The twin-engine 777 aircraft is one of the world's most popular long-distance planes, often used for flights of 12 hours or more, from one continent to another.

It was the first fatal crash involving an Asiana passenger plane since June 1993, when a Boeing 737 operated by the carrier crashed into a mountain in South Korea, killing 68.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said there was no indication that terrorism was to blame for the crash.

In Washington, National Transportation Safety Board experts flew west to investigate the crash, while the heads of the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration issued a joint statement thanking the first responders. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the passengers and crew of Asiana Flight 214 and their families," the statement read.

SOURCE

A regretful news to hear from San Francisco. Two young lives lost and many others injured, some seriously. I pray that there will be no further fatalities in the days to come.