What happened
On July 28, 2011, at approximately 04:10 KST, an Asiana Airlines cargo flight, operating a Boeing 747-40 and registration HL7604, crashed into international waters roughly 130 km west of Jeju International Airport. The flight, which originated from Incheon International Airport and was destined for Shanghai Pudong International Airport, had been in the air for approximately 50 minutes when the crew reported a fire in the cargo compartment to the Shanghai Area Control Center.
Following the emergency declaration, the crew attempted to divert the aircraft to Jeju International Airport. However, the aircraft went down approximately 18 minutes after the fire was reported, or about one hour and eight minutes after takeoff. The impact resulted in the fatalities of both pilots and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the ARAIB with international assistance, involved a massive recovery operation that retrieved approximately 1,600 pieces of wreckage from the sea. Investigators examined the cargo loading configuration, specifically focusing on two pallets containing dangerous goods that were loaded in the ML and PR positions.
Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed significant fire damage in specific areas. While some cargo containers showed only soot, other items, such as films in the MR position, exhibited burned and blackened traces. Notably, the edge rails of several pallets showed varying degrees of soot and melting, with some even displaying blue dye splatters. The investigation also reviewed the airline's cargo acceptance procedures, maintenance records for the cargo handling system, and the emergency checklists available to the crew at the time of the accident.