Ike's Marine Crash Fire Rescue Home page

Website updated on 4 October 2005

Thought you guys would enjoy having this forwarded. The photo was supplied by the Seattle-Post Intelligencer from their "Nation" section on Nov. 12, 1998 via the Associated Press with many thanks.

Subject: Oops!!!!
This makes you wonder.
Anybody got plans to fly on a Korean airline?? You might want to reconsider.
Who needs wing walkers????
Nov. 11th/98. The wing of an Asiana 747-400 cuts into the tail of a parked Aeroflot IL62 at Anchorage International Airport while trying to make a U-turn in a parking bay. No serious injuries reported. The best part of the story was forwarded by a Captain witnessing the event from a safe distance:
Gudday folks, true story, worth reading... Just into Anchorage and looking at all the Korean debris on the airfield. What a beautiful job the Asiana boy did in his 747-400. (word is he was an ex KAL guy, Capt. Kim Dae Woo, makes sense!) Asiana is KAL's "opposition" company, also run by the military cronies. Pranged in Anchorage trying to do a "U" turn in a parking bay... in a 747-400???? Poor Aeroflot was in the way though, minding his business, parked at the gate with passengers on board. Asiana thumped his # 1 engine against Aeroflot's wing and tore open the engine cowling and fuel lines on the 747, pissing fuel all over the apron. With standard Korean procedure, that calls for more power so you can get out of the way and hope nobody saw! This he did, but it was icy as hell on the ramp. The skid started and took out 2 Evergreen staff vehicles sending the occupants fleeing for cover.> > >

THE CIRCUS HAD BEGUN! Still more power and he put his left wing (last 15-20 feet) into the vertical stab of the IL62 and cut into the tail about 15 feet. When he reached the main spar of the vertical stab... the 747 stopped... you guessed it..... MORE POWER!!! I think he thought there was still time to run for it but he didn't seem to be going anywhere.......SO..........MORE POWER!!!!!!!!!!!! In trying to escape the grips of the Russian aircraft, he managed to reach take-off thrust, and in so doing, put a bunch of containers behind the aircraft through the terminal building and trashed it. Heard NCA got it in the lamps, Japanese must be pleased about that! Still no shutdown or evacuation (fuel still pissing everywhere over the apron from the 747 #1 engine) The Yank ground mechanics finally managed to run over and told them to shut the aircraft down but the crew were busy writing a report for management to apportion the blame. mmmmmmmm.....Yes, PLEASE???!!! Hell, no one is safe around these guys! After the entertainment ended, spoke to our crew driver and she said the two vehicles he hit during his exhibition were badly trashed. The Asiana aircraft is looking quite sad. Took all day yesterday to separate the two aircraft and in desperation, the mechanics finally had to cut about 20 feet of the Asiana left wing off to get the aircraft apart. Talk about "dog lock"! The engine is off and the cowlings are all torn open. The opposition (Aeroflot) was taking cover in the hangar...Good idea! Well, not to be outdone, KAL landed a 747 freighter the very next day on the runway lights on 6R!!! Lights, tyres, stuff everywhere.... you know the rest. That makes 9 accidents in 2.5 months for KAL of which one was a 747-400 hull write off. Now that takes some beating that record!!! (Oh, we're not even counting the 747-300 in Guam... that was last years score) Ah yes, another boring day in aviation! Y'awl be careful out there!!!!