GUAM, AUGUST 11: United States (US) federal agents are investigating when and where a software error was introduced into an airport radar system that might have prevented last week's deadly crash of a Korean Air jet.

The system, called an FAA Radar Minimum Safe Altitude Warning, normally issues an alert if a jet is flying too low, and officials on the ground can then tell the pilot. This particular system located at the island's Andersen Air Force base was modified recently and an error was apparently inserted into the software, federal agents said.

Korean Air flight 801 crashed into a hillside overlooking Guam International Airport on Wednesday morning, killing 225 people. Investigators are trying to figure out why the jet was flying so close to the ground.

Early today, mourners gathered in front of almost 200 pictures of their loved ones displayed in a conference room at the Pacific Star Hotel, which has become a meeting place for the victims' families.The grainy black-and-white photos, each with black ribbons on the corners, hung above an altar with lit candles and incense.

Several women wailed in grief, and one woman collapsed, reaching out toward one of the pictures, as family members tried to comfort her.

Yesterday, US National Transportation Safety Board investigators said the software error could not be pinpointed as the culprit in the crash, but a properly working system could have alerted the pilot to pull the jet to a higher altitude.George Black, an NTSB member, said the software was modified to stop the system from giving too many false alarms.

``This is not a cause it might have possibly been a prevention.'' Investigators were also looking at other crucial aspects of the crash. NTSB officials have also gone to Seoul to look at Korean Air's training methods and the crew records.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.