A fatal approach: how a Boeing 777 lost speed and struck a seawall

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: On July 6, 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 approached San Francisco International Airport too slowly. Despite clear weather, the Boeing 777-200ER struck a seawall short of the runway, causing the tail and engine to separate and resulting in three fatalities among the 307 people on board.

The accident occurred during a visual approach to Runway 28L. Because the instrument landing system's vertical guidance had been out of service since June 1, the crew was hand-flying the aircraft. The NTSB eventually determined that the crew's poor management during the final approach caused the crash, noting that Boeing's complex system manuals and Asiana Airlines' training protocols also contributed.

Data from the flight data recorder revealed a dangerous drop in airspeed. While the crew was cleared to maintain 180 knots, the aircraft's speed fell significantly. At roughly 1,600 feet, the autopilot was deactivated and throttles were moved to idle just eight seconds prior to impact. By three seconds before impact, the airspeed had dropped to a minimum of 103 knots—34 knots below the target speed.

The physical impact was violent; the main landing gear and tail struck the seawall, causing the left engine and tail section to separate. The remaining fuselage slid 2,400 feet along the runway before catching fire due to a ruptured oil tank. Of the 307 people on board, three died: two Chinese nationals were ejected from the plane, and a third passenger died from injuries sustained when her seat rotated back during the crash.

This tragedy was the initial fatal Boeing 777 accident following its 1995 introduction, and the first fatal passenger jet crash on U.S. soil since the 2009 Colgan Air Flight 3407 disaster.

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