ASSESSMENT

Asiana Pilots Blame Landing Speed

Two flight attendants were ejected during crash.

Asiana Airlines pilots said the Boeing 777 that crash-landed at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday had an automatic system similar to a car’s cruise control that did not maintain proper speed for landing. In an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot said they set the auto throttle at 137 knots, a speed that is significantly faster than what Flight 214 came in at during its ill-fated landing. But one of the pilots also told the investigators that he knew the flight was coming in too low and tried to correct the path before the crash. The two main pilots said they were well rested, getting eight hours of sleep the night before the flight. They also said they worked the first four hours and 15 minutes of the flight before being relieved by the backup crew. They took control of the aircraft again about an hour and 15 minutes before attempting to land.