PK-661 crash: PIA dispels media reports regarding failure of engine
- By Web Desk -
- Dec 11, 2016
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airline (PIA) dispels media reports that failure of an engine caused the ATR-42 flight number PK-661 plane crash killing 48 people, ARY News reported.
PIA Spokesman Danyal Gilani rebutted the reports that propeller of one of the engines of the ATR-42 aircraft that crashed on December 7, had started to spin in reverse, or had some known defect prior to take off, which led to this accident.
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He said speculations and misleading reports will lead the public draw wrong conclusions.
“Both engines of the aircraft were fully operational at the time of takeoff from Chitral and some problem developed during flight,” he said.
He requested from media to refrain from drawing any premature conclusions till the investigation process is completed.
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Danyal Gilani said the whole incident was being thoroughly investigated by Safety Investigation Board (SIB), which is an independent body working under the Aviation Division.
The PIA spokesman said all the items recovered from the site, including cockpit instruments, are part of the evidence and may give valuable insights about the cause of the accident, but cannot provide conclusive evidence in isolation.
In a statement he said, public should rest assured that SIB is under instructions from the Prime Minister of Pakistan that a detailed, independent and transparent inquiry be carried out and truth should be brought out and shared with the people in the shortest possible time.
It is pertinent to mention here that ATR 42 and 72 (more than 1200 aircraft built) use engines manufactured by one of world’s most reliable engine manufacturers, Pratt & Whitney, which has provided more than 13,000 commercial engines to a range of aircraft manufacturers including Boeing and Airbus since 1925, in addition to providing more than 7300 engines for multiple military aircraft, his statement added.