Asiana Airlines Flight 214: 2013 San Francisco runway crash

Aircraft and occupants

The airframe was a Boeing 777-200ER in service with Asiana Airlines. The 777 is a wide‑body, long‑range jet used widely on transpacific routes. On this flight the crew included two pilots in the flight deck and cabin crew responsible for passenger safety and evacuation. The cabin underwent a rapid evacuation after the aircraft came to rest off the paved runway area.

Accident sequence

During final approach the airplane descended below the standard glide path and was flying at a speed substantially lower than the normal target approach speed. Flight data indicated low engine thrust settings during the final moments before impact; the crew initiated a go‑around maneuver only about one to two seconds before the aircraft struck the seawall and the surface near the approach end of the runway. The airplane struck terrain short of the runway threshold, then slid onto the runway area. Heavy structural damage and post‑impact fire occurred in some parts of the airframe, and emergency slides were used for evacuation.

Investigation

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), assisted by South Korean investigators and the aircraft manufacturer, conducted a detailed investigation. Investigators recovered and analyzed flight recorders, air traffic communications, cockpit voice recordings, crew training and qualifications, and automated flight data. The official findings attributed the accident principally to the flight crew's mismanagement of the approach, including inadequate monitoring and maintenance of airspeed and a delayed decision to perform a go‑around. Contributing factors noted in the reports included shortcomings in crew training, misinterpretation of automation behavior, and human factors that influenced cockpit decision‑making.

Aftermath and safety changes

Emergency responders, airport personnel and passengers assisted in the rapid evacuation and medical care that limited further loss of life. The accident prompted airlines and regulators to review training programs, emphasizing manual flying skills, stabilized approach criteria, clear guidance on when to abandon an unstable approach, and crew resource management. Manufacturers and operators also reviewed how automation modes and alerts are presented to crews to reduce confusion during critical phases of flight.

Significance and legacy

The accident was notable as the first instance of passenger fatalities aboard a Boeing 777 airliner. It renewed industry focus on approach stability, recognition of airspeed decay, and the importance of timely execution of go‑around procedures. The investigation produced safety recommendations aimed at improving pilot training, oversight, and procedures to help prevent similar accidents in the future.

Key points

• Route: transpacific flight from Incheon (South Korea) to San Francisco.
• Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER operated by Asiana Airlines.
• Occupants: 307 people on board (291 passengers, 16 crew); two immediate passenger fatalities and many injuries; a third death occurred later under separate circumstances that was examined by investigators.
• Primary cause: loss of adequate airspeed on approach and delayed go‑around decision, with contributing training and human‑factors issues.

For technical details and the formal determination of probable cause, consult the published investigation reports and official safety recommendations issued after the accident.