As one of aviation’s deadliest historical events, Korean Air flight 801 (KE801) changed different procedures and pilot training to make flying safer. It is, unfortunately, one of several incidents where the industry has learned from its mistakes. However, it is the deadly crash of a Boeing 747-300 variant recorded in history. Learnings from the collision also inspired changes to the type of equipment and technology aircraft are equipped with.
More than two decades later, strict rules have been implemented regarding adequate rest periods for pilots and more detailed crew training. The aircraft, colliding with terrain during its approach at Nimitz Hill in Guam, resulted in nearly 230 casualties. The crash also resulted in a fire, completely destroying the airframe. While the event is referred to as “deadly,” not all souls onboard lost their lives.
Looking back
KE801 happened early in the morning on August 6, 1997. According to the FAA, the 747-300 was performing a non-precision approach to Runway 06L at Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM) after a flight from Seoul. Approximately three miles southwest of the airport, the aircraft crashed into Nimitz Hill in Agana – a mountain covered with dense vegetation.
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Rani Salman is the managing partner at Caliber Consulting, a boutique strategy consulting firm based in the United Arab Emirates that specializes in strategy realization. In an in-depth analysis of KE801 in 2018, Salman noted that the plane skidded across the terrain and tore through trees for about two thousand feet, which caused an oil pipeline to burst. It then fell into a deep valley on the mountain before erupting into flames.
The intensity of the impact resulted in 228 passengers out of the 254 people onboard perishing. Many of which, terrifyingly, were burned alive. 23 passengers and three flight attendants miraculously survived the crash, but suffered from severe injuries. The entire aircraft was destroyed as it was engulfed in the flames. The weather conditions at the time of the crash were reportedly not optimal. Additionally, it was pitch black as the plane collided with the terrain at approximately 01:42.
Pilot error?
Following an investigation into the crash, several theories regarding the cause emerged. This is partly due to the pilot’s long career and experience. The aircraft itself was believed to be in excellent condition. The captain of the flight, 42-year-old Park Yong-chul, was a seasoned veteran with over 8,900 hours of flight time. 3,200 hours of which, were spent manning the 747, according to Salman. He was also said to be in great health and was an accomplished pilot with the Korean Air Force. It also was not Yong-chul’s first time flying past Nimitz Hill on approach, as the ill-fated night was reportedly his eighth time flying into Guam from Seoul. Salman also notes that the 747-300 was also “in supreme working condition” and was highly regarded as it was formerly utilized as the official aircraft for Korea’s President.
As the crash perplexed many, rumors that the cause was due to pilot error began to swirl around. While Korean Air was quick to deny the allegations and cited weather and equipment failure as the cause, flight deck recordings from the aircraft’s black box – obtained by Salman – reveal what led up to the crash in the pilots’ last words before impact.
“Do you think it rains more in this area?” the first officer asked.
As there was no response from the captain, the flight engineer blurted…”Captain, the weather radar has helped us a lot.”
The captain then responded, “Yes. They are very useful.”
Upon listening to the recordings, investigators were surprised to hear what transpired, with it sounding as if the captain acted nonchalantly toward a weather-related concern – which is always important to address. According to Salman, after understanding the culture, officials determined that the pilots were trying to alert the captain by their statements.
“After realizing the nuances of Korean culture, the investigators realized that what the First Officer and Engineer were trying to do was warn the pilot that it won’t be safe to do a visual approach landing without a backup plan, as the runway was seemingly not visible. Such communication of sparse hinting from first officer to pilot is not uncommon in Korean culture. However, driven by respect to authority and fear of upsetting their superior, the co-pilots ultimately contributed to the plane crash as they allowed the pilot to start a visual landing without an alternative emergency signal.”
Captain hierarchy
It is logical to assume that there may have been a specific culture in the cockpit, reflecting the hierarchy of the captain. Regardless, it highlights a significant communication error between the three pilots. Investigators reportedly believed that the captain could have taken heed to the flight engineer and first officer’s comments, while the two could have also been more authoritative with their warning signals. Essentially, all three are at fault, in terms of clear communication.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the probable cause of the crash “was the captain’s failure to adequately brief and execute the non-precision approach and the first officer’s and flight engineer’s failure to effectively monitor and cross-check the captain’s execution of the approach.”
Photo: Joe A. Kunzler | Simple Flying
Additionally, the agency said fatigue and not enough training were factors.
“Contributing to these failures were the captain’s fatigue and Korean Air’s inadequate flight crew training.”
There have been several changes in how pilots are trained. According to aviationfile, pilots are now required to receive more training for night flying. Navigational systems on aircraft have also been equipped with more advanced navigational systems that assist with spatial disorientation, keeping pilots from becoming lost.
Sources: Rani Salman, Federal Aviation Administration, aviationfile
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