PK-8303 attempted to land at Karachi airport before crash, say investigators

KARACHI: Officials of the Aircraft Accident and Investigation Board visited Jinnah International Airport, Karachi’s runway for inspection in connection with an investigation into the horrifying Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash, ARY News reported.

Except two survivors, all 97 passengers and crew members of the aircraft that crashed into a residential area near Karachi airport were confirmed dead. However, no resident of the Model Colony’s Jinnah Garden where the plane crashed was among the victims.

Sources relayed the probe team viewed the footage taken from cameras installed on the runway and found out that the pilot of the ill-fated PK-8303 attempted to touch down on the runway but the plane’s landing gear was not down.

It also found marks said to be caused by both engines hitting the ground on the runway L-25. A Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) handed over the footage to the probe team.

The investigators said the pilot took off again when both engines hit the runway and made a second attempt.

The pilot took off and “went round”. The plane remained in the air for almost 13 minutes during its second attempt before crashing into the densely-populated Model Colony.

Meanwhile, a special team of the national flag carrier visited the crash site to search the plane’s voice recorder and other things that may help the investigators reach a conclusion in their probe into the incident.