Jet was traveling below target speed before crash

The pilot tried to abort the landing and come around for another try 1.5 seconds before crash.

 

SAN FRANCISCO — Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was traveling well below its target speed for landing when it crashed short of the runway Saturday, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman said at a briefing Sunday.
"The speed was significantly below 137 knots, and we're not talking a few knots," she said.
Asiana Airlines said the pilot in charge of landing the Boeing 777 was in training for flying that model of jet, and that this was his first flight into San Francisco at the controls of a 777, the Associated Press reported.
"It was Lee Kang-kook's maiden flight to the airport with the jet." a spokeswoman for Asiana Airlines who was not identified by name said, the news agency reported. It reported that he had flown Boeing 747 jets into San Francisco's airport previously, and was assisted on this flight by another pilot with more experience flying the 777.
The plane was travelling "significantly below" its intended speed and its crew tried to abort the landing just seconds before it hit the seawall in front of the runway, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said on Sunday.
"He has a lot of experience and previously flown to San Francisco on different planes including the B747... and he was assisted by another pilot who has more experience with the 777," the spokeswoman said.
San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault said Sunday that his office was investigating whether one of the two Chinese girls killed in the crash had been run over by a rescue vehicle. He said San Francisco Fire Department officials notified him at the site Saturday that one of the 16-year-olds may have been struck on the runway. An autopsy was to be completed Monday.
Hersman provided details of what investigators found in their initial review of the plane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders: "The approach proceeds normally as they descend. There is no discussion of any aircraft anomalies or concerns with the approach. A call from one of the crewmembers to increase speed was made approximately seven seconds prior to impact."
The "stick shaker," which gives an audible and motion signal warning that the plane is flying too slowly and is about to stall, sounds "approximately four seconds prior to impact."
The pilot requested a "go-around" — to abort the landing, fly around the airport and try again, Hersman said.
"A call to initiate a go-around occurred 1.5 seconds before impact," she said.

SOURCE : http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2013/07/07/asian-airlines-crash-san-francisco-airport-boeing-777/2496275/