After months of blaming U.S. airport officials and mechanical errors, South Korea’s Asiana Airlines finally admitted that pilot error was a contributing factor in last summer’s deadly San Francisco plane accident.
Asiana Flight 214 crashed at San Francisco International Airport last July, killing three. The plane was coming in too low and too slow, which caused it to hit a sea wall at the start of the runway.
The airline said in a statement that its pilot “could have failed to respond quickly” to problems with the plane’s auto throttle system. CNN reports that the airline also blames “air traffic control instructions and procedures” which overwhelmed its pilots.
Many aviation experts say that the Asiana crash was due to poor pilot training. Writers for the Atlantic Magazine note that the crash happened on a clear day with light winds.
In addition to admitting that its pilot was partially to blame for the crash, Asiana is also blaming the airport’s failure to warn the pilot about the air speed problems and mechanical issues. Asiana has sued Boeing in connection with the crash.
