Plane crashed in a residential area near Jinnah Airport, killing 97 people and injuring two others
KARACHI:
May 22 marked the sixth anniversary of the crash of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane from Lahore into a residential area just a kilometer off the runway of Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, killing 97 people and injuring two others.
On Friday, May 22, 2020, the ill-fated PIA flight PK 8303 with 91 passengers and eight crew members on board took off from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport at 13.10 to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
The Airbus A320 aircraft attempted to land at Karachi Airport at 14.37, but due to a hard landing the captain tried a go-around. However, the plane failed to complete the second landing attempt and crashed into the densely populated neighborhood of Jinnah Garden, just one kilometer away from the runway.
The AAIB report, which is available on the aviation ministry’s website, stated that the crash happened because both engines of the plane shut down due to human error. The report also indicated several errors and miscommunications.
Prior to the initial landing attempt, the air traffic controller (ATC) had warned the captain four times that the aircraft’s altitude was too high. However, on the fifth communication, ATC cleared the landing.
During the first landing attempt, the plane’s engines hit the runway and emitted sparks, but ATC failed to inform the pilot. Due to the collision, both engines were affected as the system supplying lubricating oil to them malfunctioned.
The report highlighted a lack of communication and coordination between the pilots and ATC.
CCTV footage from the airport’s runway showed that the plane’s landing gear was not deployed during the landing attempt. The captain communicated with the control tower for one minute and 16 seconds during the turn and go-around and reported that the landing gear was jammed and the engines had failed.
