Asiana, Boeing facing lawsuits over crash

Asiana Airlines and Boeing are facing potential legal action by passengers aboard the flight that crashed in San Francisco on July 6, killing three and injuring more than 180, according to U.S. court filings.

The Asiana Boeing 777 had more than 300 passengers and crew members on board when it crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

A petition for discovery has been filed against Boeing in a court in Chicago, where the airplane manufacturer is headquartered.

The petition begins the legal process against the maker of the 777, according to a statement from Ribbeck Law Chartered, a law firm representing the passengers.

The firm announced the petition, filed Monday, in a press release on Tuesday.

The passengers are seeking design, manufacturing and safety information, as well as maintenance records and other relevant evidence in order to determine legal liability for the crash, according to their lawyers.

Similar requests may be filed against other companies, including Asiana and several unnamed makers of component parts in the coming days, the law firm said.

A spokesman for Boeing declined to comment.

On Monday, Korea’s Asiana Airlines was sued in federal court in California by a Korean woman, Younga Jun Machorro, and her son, who were passengers on the flight.

The lawsuit alleged that the Asiana flight crew committed “an extensive litany of errors and omissions” and were improperly trained and supervised, causing the crash.

They are seeking at least $5 million in damages for “extreme bodily and mental injuries and economic damages” allegedly suffered as a result of the crash, according to the lawsuit.

A spokesman for Asiana declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Asiana Wednesday said it grounded one of its Boeing 777 jets in Los Angeles when an engine started leaking oil, less than two weeks after the crash landing in San Francisco.

The leak was found Monday as the plane prepared for takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport bound for Korea’s Incheon airport, the airline said.

The passenger jet underwent maintenance and passengers had to wait about 17 hours before they could fly on another plane.

Initial information from the investigation of the crash in San Francisco has indicated the plane was flying too slowly as it came in to land.

Another Asiana-operated Boeing 777 was delayed in San Francisco on June 2 due to an oil leak in one of its engines.

On July 8, a San Francisco-bound Boeing 777 operated by Japan Airlines turned back to Tokyo after its crew detected a leak in the hydraulic system that controlled its flaps.

Reuters