Accident description
Last updated: 20 May 2013
| Status: | Preliminary - official |
| Date: | 28 JUL 2011 |
| Time: | 04:10 |
| Type: | Boeing 747-48EF |
| Operator: | Asiana Airlines |
| Registration: | HL7604 |
| C/n / msn: | 29907/1370 |
| First flight: | 2006-02-15 (5 years 5 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 28752 |
| Cycles: | 4799 |
| Engines: | 4 General Electric CF6-80C2B1F |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Airplane damage: | Destroyed |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 130 km (81.3 mls) W off Jeju, South Korea [East China Sea] (Pacific Ocean)
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| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Seoul-Incheon International Airport (ICN/RKSI), South Korea |
| Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG/ZSPD), China | |
| Flightnumber: | 991 |
A Boeing 747-400F cargo plane, HL7604, was destroyed when it crashed into the sea off Jeju, South Korea. Both pilots were killed in the accident.
Asiana Airlines flight 991 departed Seoul-Incheon International Airport (ICN) at 03:05 on a cargo flight to Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG), China.
At 03:51, at about FL230, the copilot contacted Shanghai Area Control Center (ACC). Three minutes later the copilot radioed an emergency, requesting an emergency descent due to an on board fire. In subsequent communication the copilot stated that they wanted to divert back to Jeju with a descent to FL100. He also reported a rear cargo fire.
At 04:05 the crew of Korean Air flight KE886 relayed radar vectors and descent instructions from Incheon ACC. The captain then reported rudder control problems to KE886. Control problems appeared to worsen as the captain radioed: "Rudder control... flight control, all are not working." at 04:09. The first officer added: "We have heavy vibration on the airplane, may need to make an emergency landing, emergency ditching.". Last contact was at 04:10 when the first officer radioed: "Altitude control is not available due to heavy vibration, going to ditch... ah." According to radar data the altitude at that time was about 10.000 feet.
The airplane then entered a high speed descent and struck the surface of the sea and broke up. The wreckage sank to a depth of about 85 metres.
The plane carried 58 tonnes of cargo, including 0.4 tonnes of potentially risky materials such as lithium batteries, paint, amino acid solution and synthetic resin.
Sources:
» Korean Ministry of Transport
» Flightglobal
Official accident investigation report
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Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 3 Safety Recommendations
Show all AD's and Safety Recommendations
Show all AD's and Safety Recommendations
Photos
Altitude and speed before the crash
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Seoul-Incheon International Airport to Shanghai-Pudong International Airport as the crow flies is 817 km (511 miles).
Distance from Seoul-Incheon International Airport to Shanghai-Pudong International Airport as the crow flies is 817 km (511 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
