Asiana Sued by Two Passengers on Plane in San Francisco Crash

Asiana Airlines Inc. was sued for negligence by two passengers on the plane that crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport on July 6, killing three people and injuring 181 others.

Younga Jun Machorro, her son Benjamin Hyo-in Machorro, and her husband Hector Machorro, who wasn’t on the flight, claimed the plane’s pilots failed to observe fundamental procedures for a visual landing approach, monitor flight conditions and react to those conditions, according to a complaint filed July 15 in federal court in San Francisco.

“The Asiana crash occurred due to the gross negligence and recklessness of the Asiana flight crew,” Michael Verna, the Machorros’ attorney, said in the complaint.

The family members, who reside in the San Francisco area, seek at least $5 million in damages. The Machorros purchased their tickets in the San Francisco area and were flying home, according to the complaint.

Younga Machorro and her son suffered extreme bodily and mental injuries and Hector Machorro lost the comfort and consortium of his wife, Verna said in the complaint.

The Asiana Boeing Co. 777 struck a seawall short of a runway, slammed to the ground and spun off the tarmac. The flight from Seoul had 307 people on board, including 16 crew members. About 141 passengers were from China, 77 from South Korea and 61 from the U.S.

The Machorros’ lawsuit is governed by the Montreal Convention, Verna said in the complaint. The treaty states the place where cases may be handled is based on factors including a passenger’s final destination.

The case is Machorro v. Asiana Airlines, 13-cv-03286, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco).

(Editors: Stephen Farr, Charles Carter)