The pilot in the crash at San Francisco International Airport that killed two and injured more than 100 was still in training and had never before landed that type of craft at that port, airline spokespeople said Monday.
Asiana Airlines, based in South Korea, said the pilot had more than 9,000 hours of overall flight time, but only 43 hours of experience with the Boeing 777, Voice of America reported.
A more experienced pilot was aboard the craft, serving as co-pilot and trainer, the airline said.
U.S. investigators are looking into the causes of the crash, including analyzing the craft’s black box. It’s too early to conclude the cause of the crash, but investigators do know the plane was flying “significantly below” the speed needed for a safe landing and that the pilot in the last seconds tried to abort.
National Transportation Safety Board chair Deborah Hersman said the abort occurred just 1.5 seconds before the crash, VOA reported.
Airline officials say the plane had no signs of mechanical or engine failures at the time of crash.
Two 16-year-old girls from China were killed in the crash. They were part of a school group on the way to summer camp.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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