Preliminary report held responsible pilot, air traffic controller for plane crash

ISLAMABAD : Investigators in their preliminary report on the PK-8303 crash that claimed the lives of 97 people held the pilot of the ill-fated Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane and air traffic controller responsible for the incident. Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Monday presented the preliminary investigation report PIA flight PK-8303 crash in Karachi to Prime Minister Imran Khan. During the meeting, the minister briefed the premier about the incident, saying CCTV footage showed that the ill-fated plane hit the runway after which, the pilot chose to go around (re-take off). Evidence of damages caused to both engines of the plane due to failed landing was also found, he told. According to the report, the pilot of the PK-8303 did not follow the procedure and he was overconfident. The air traffic controller is equally responsible for the incident as he did not asked the pilot to make landing instead of taking off when the engine hit the runway, the report said. The report has been prepared with the cockpit voice recorder data, planes debris and other evidence collected from the crashed site by the probe team. Earlier, Aircraft Accident and Investigation Board (AAIB) led by Air Commodore Muhammad Usman Ghani has presented the preliminary report on the PK-8303 crash to Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan. The AAIB commenced technical probe of the ill-fated aircraft PK-8303 plane’s debris collected more evidence regarding the crash on June 19. Earlier on June 2, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had pointed out in a report regarding ‘violations’ made by pilot of ill-fated PK-8303 aircraft of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) which was crashed last month. The Civil Aviation Authority’s Additional Director Operation had sent a letter to the safety department of the national flag-carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The letter stated that the pilot of the Airbus 320 aircraft did not follow the instruction of the air traffic controller (ATC). The report was followed by the written response of air traffic controller (ATC) and approach tower controllers which had been submitted to the investigation board on May 26 during the probe of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane, PK-8303, crash incident. The captain had asked the ATC that he will adjust its altitude and speed before landing, however, he landed the plane without opening landing gear during the first attempt. The ATC added that both engines of the aircraft were badly damaged after hitting the ground as the plane landed without opening landing gear. It seems that the captain forgot to open the landing gear while maintaining speed and altitude of the aircraft, said the air traffic controller. It is pertinent to mention here that all but two of the 99 people on board a PIA passenger plane were killed when it crashed into a residential neighborhood of Karachi. The national carrier’s flight PK-8303 took off from Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport and crashed in Model Colony area in Malir, approximately 4 kilometers away from the airport. The plane came to rest about 2:39pm in a narrow alley in the poor and congested residential area known as Model Colony between houses smashed by its wings.