There is a lot of information and conjecture coming out in the press regarding the reason the Boeing 777 hit the sea wall during the attempted landing at San Francisco. There will be a definite answer from the NTSB when the investigation is completed which could take months to finalize. Regardless of any mechanical or electronic failures in the aircraft that may have contributed to the crash, the investigation will consider the Human Factors involved. There are always human factors involved and they go well beyond the crew and the circumstances of this particular flight.
The NTSB will construct a timeline for each crew member going back at least 72 hours. This will include all rest and work periods, medications or personal events which could influence concentration or mood. Crew interaction will be examined to ensure the appropriate actions were not affected by personalities in the cockpit. There will be an examination of the distractions and circumstances in regard to the approach into the airport, and also any distraction warnings or unusual circumstances within the aircraft during the flight.
It seems to be common knowledge that there was training taking place in the cockpit during the flight. Training of the ‘pilot flying’ during the approach to San Francisco will be examined to assess the amount of supervision provided by the training Captain. This is particularly important as the responsibility to maintain the safety parameters lies with the training Captain if there is a departure from Standard Operating Procedures or erosion of safety limits.
The reasons for this crash will be many and varied as the Human Factors reach into all aspects of the Asiana Airlines operation of the aircraft in their fleet. The reason could cross all types of aircraft and operations so lessons will be learned and changes and improvements made to prevent this type of accident occurring again in all airlines and operators.
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