As the NTSB closed its on site phase of the investigation with the conclusion of on site interviews and removal and storage of the wreckage, several important questions have emerged, including:
- Whether the pilots increasing reliance on automatic controls has eroded their ability to fly manually;
- Whether Asiana 214 pilots placed too much reliance on the auto throttle while failing to notice their airspeed dip was dangerously low;
- Whether the FAA has not responded in a safe manner to the NTSB’s calls for better low airspeed warnings and improved pilot training;
As the investigation goes forward these questions will be front and center in determining the cause of this crash. Many experts have expressed their opinions that not only that pilot training need to change, but pilots ever-increasing reliance on automation must also change to ensure that pilots are highly skilled in the actual operation of the aircraft, and not simply deferring to computer driven systems.
Click here to read the full article: Analysis: Well-known hazards seen as likely factors in Asiana crash
Asiana Announces Changes
On July 15, 2013, Asiana announced it would enhance training for pilots seeking to step to convert to flying new aircraft. “We will bolster our training program…when a pilot converts to a jet from a different manufacturer,” Asiana said in a presentation to the government. The new measures will include enhancing training for visual approach and automated flight and introduce a new program to improve communication amongst crews and manage “fatigue risk”. I n addition, Asiana will operate separate maintenance teams for its Boeing and Airbus aircraft.
Asiana’s Boeing 777-200ER crashed after its main landing gear struck a sea wall at the airport, as the pilots approached the runway too low and at well below the advised speed of 137 knots, according to NTSB. During interviews, the Asiana pilots told investigators that they believed the aircraft’s auto-throttle system would maintain the required speed throughout approach to the runway, but the plane ended up flying about 40 miles slower than the crew intended, ultimately resulting in the crash.
The Aviation Accident Attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm have successfully represented many people injured from gliders, single engine helicopters, commercial aircraft and actions against the FAA, Boeing, Honeywell, GE, Lycoming, maintenance facilities, part providers, and major commercial airlines, both in trials and in obtaining settlements. The Aviation Accident Attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm have successfully navigated the complex issues raised in these cases both factually, with experts, and the procedural questions raised by choice of law, and the Montreal convention. If you or a loved one has been injured in a plane crash, our attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm are available to consult with you. Please contact our office at 800-481-1615 or email us.