Five years have passed since the tragic Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger plane crash that occurred in 2020 in the Model Town area of Karachi. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) unveiled key facts in its final report one year ago, in 2024.
According to the AAIB report, the Airbus A320 attempted a second landing on May 22, 2020. During the second landing attempt, the aircraft crashed into a residential area near the airport. The report stated that the crash of PIA flight PK-8303 was clearly caused by human error.
The air traffic controller had warned the pilot four times against landing, stating that the aircraft’s altitude was too high. During the first landing attempt, the plane’s engines struck the runway. As a result of this impact, the lubricant oil supply system to both engines was damaged, causing both engines to fail.
With both engines failing, the aircraft crashed onto a residential area. At the time of the first landing attempt, the aircraft’s landing gear was deployed. Right at the moment of landing, one of the pilots retracted the landing gear. The report also placed administrative responsibility for the accident on both PIA and the Civil Aviation Authority.
The report further noted that the shutdown of both engines also led to a complete loss of electrical power, due to which the final four minutes of flight data could not be recorded.
It should be remembered that on May 22, 2020, the PIA flight from Lahore to Karachi crashed into a residential area just seconds away from the runway. The crash claimed the lives of 97 people, including the crew, while two people miraculously survived. The accident also resulted in the deaths of local residents, and five houses were completely destroyed.
