A pilots' union, for one, would like everyone to stop jumping to the conclusion that pilot error was solely to blame for the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash on Saturday. As the days pass, more credible theories are arising for the cause of the crash, including a faulty auto-throttle mechanism, and the absence of an audio warning of low airspeed.

Another apparent issue: cultural factors that prevented co-pilots from contradicting the man at the controls when they knew something was wrong.

The auto-throttle mechanism was "armed" for landing, investigators have found, and set to 157 miles per hour, but either because of mechanical failure or a misunderstanding about other necessary settings by pilots, it was not actually activated. Also, it looks like one of the chutes may have malfunctioned, trapping a flight attendant in the plane just as it was deployed.

No matter what, pilots are right to blame the National Transportation Safety Board and the media for jumping to conclusions about the cause of the crash months before the investigation is finished.

Boeing could still end up being on the hook for never having installed an aural warning system of low airspeed on the 777, a system which the NTSB had recommended the FAA look into requiring 10 years ago. Also, the NTSB is requesting data about any other aborted landings of 777s due to similar problems on approach, and data on the SFO runway itself.

The NYT points to the legion of personal injury lawyers already swarming around the surviving passengers, and they are all looking for angles from which to sue.

As the article notes, the case of Flight 214 is unusual in that the personal injury claims are going to far outweigh the wrongful death claims. But the Air Crash Victims Families Group, an advocacy group that lobbies for crash-death victims' families, has suggested that international law dictates that injured passengers are only eligible to be reimbursed for medical expenses, property loss, or lost wages.

In any event, despite a personal apology from Asiana Airlines CEO Yoon Young-doo, this may not have been (entirely) the pilots' fault. It's true that the man at the wheel was inexperienced in flying the 777 and the veteran pilot on board was also inexperienced as an instructor, however this is not going to prevent lawyers from coming after whomever else might be slightly to blame.

[Chicago Tribune]
[NYT]