Asiana Airlines Flight Was Traveling Below Target Speed Before Crash

Pilots requested to abort the landing 1.5 seconds before impact

SAN FRANCISCO — Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was traveling well below its target speed for landing when it crashed short of the runway Saturday, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman said at a briefing Sunday.

"The speed was significantly below 137 knots, and we're not talking a few knots," she said.

Asiana Airlines said the pilot in charge of landing the Boeing 777 was in training for flying that model of jet, and that this was his first flight into San Francisco at the controls of a 777, the Associated Press reported.