Questions persist on 2020 PIA flight crash

Report by AAIB blamed human error for the tragic crash

KARACHI:

May 22 marked the fourth anniversary of the crash of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Lahore into a residential area just a kilometre away from the runway of Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, killing 97 people and injuring two others.

In February this year, an investigation into the air disaster by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) determined that the crash occurred due to human error. However, relatives of many deceased passengers were not satisfied with these findings.

On Friday, May 22, 2020, the ill-fated PIA flight PK 8303, with 91 passengers and eight crew members onboard, took off from Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport at 1:10 pm for Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.

The Airbus A320 aircraft attempted to land at Karachi Airport at 2:37 pm, but due to a rough landing, the captain attempted a go-around. However, the plane could not complete the second landing attempt and crashed into the densely populated neighborhood of Jinnah Garden, just a kilometre away from the runway.

The AAIB report, available on the aviation ministry’s website, stated the crash occurred because both engines of the plane shut down due to human error. The report also indicated multiple failures and miscommunications.

Before 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, the ATC cleared the landing.

During the first landing attempt, the plane's engines hit the runway and gave off sparks, but the ATC failed to inform the pilot. Due to the impact, both engines were affected as the system supplying lubricant oil to them malfunctioned.

The report highlighted a lack of communication and coordination between the pilots and the ATC.

CCTV footage from the airport runway showed that the aircraft'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 runway turn and go-around, reporting that the landing gear was jammed and the engines had failed.

He called “May Day” twice before the plane disappeared from the radar screen. The plane then hit an overhead water tank on the top floor of a house in Jinnah Garden and crashed.

In the 160-page report, the cause of the accident was attributed to human error, but the families of the victims continue to demand a fair and transparent inquiry, claiming discrepancies between the report and accounts from eyewitnesses.