What we know: Pakistani A320 air crash
Aviation Updates Philippines – On Friday, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A320-214, with
registry AP-BLD, crashed into a residential area near Jinnah International
Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. Flight PK-8303 departed from Lahore bound for
Karachi.
The air traffic controller at Karachi cleared the aircraft for an approach
for Runway 25L at around 2:30 pm local time. Due to a problem on its nose
landing gear, the pilot flying (PF) decided to go around. Then, the aircraft
prepared for a second landing attempt but never made it.
AP-BLD, according to the communication between the pilots and ATC, had dual
engine failure. Five minutes after the go-around, the PF sent a mayday call
which indicated a life-threatening emergency. Although Karachi ATC cleared
both runways 25L and 25R for landing, flight PK-8303 impacted a residential
area a hundred meters short of the runway.
A CCTV footage revealed that the aircraft stalled on short finals given the
dual engine failure. A few minutes prior, the ram air turbine (RAT) was
either manually or automatically deployed, indicating a complete loss of
power.
This video of #PK8303 clearly shows how close the plane was to the landing strip at Karachi airport ✈️ 😐
— Danyal Gilani (@DanyalGilani) May 22, 2020
#planecrash #PIAPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/43JvQ9rCNZ
Aboard the flight were 91 passengers and 8 crew members. To date, exact
numbers have yet to be confirmed with conflicting reports from various media
sources. However, initial reports from Airbus says the flight had 99
passengers and crew on-board.
Multiple casualties were reported from the aircraft and, since the crash
site was a residential area, on the ground. A report from Pakistan's leading
newspaper, Dawn, reported that Sindh health authorities confirmed 97 have
succumbed to the crash while two miraculously survived.
Just hours after the crash, European aircraft manufacturer Airbus confirmed
the unfortunate incident in Karachi. The aircraft involved was manufactured
in Europe by Airbus; hence, the technical expertise of the planemaker will
be significant to determine the root cause of the crash.
"Airbus regrets to confirm that an A320 aircraft operated by Pakistan
International Airlines was involved in an accident during flight PK8303 from
Lahore to Karachi on May 22, 2020. Initial reports indicate there were 91
passengers and 8 crew members on-board. Our thoughts are with all those
affected," Airbus said.
Airbus will continue to provide technical assistance to concerned
authorities with regards to the conduct of an official investigation. Engine
manufacturer CFM and PIA will also provide technical assistance in line with
ICAO annex 13 on aircraft accident and incident investigation.
Footage from the crash site revealed the chaos and fear following the crash.
The Pakistani army immediately dispatched its assets as emergency assets
rushed to the scene.
Heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their near and dear ones in today’s plane crash. PIA’s Lahore-Karachi flight PK-8303 was carrying around 100 passengers. ✈️ 😩🚨 #BreakingNews #planecrash pic.twitter.com/7WkpIgoo3n
— Danyal Gilani (@DanyalGilani) May 22, 2020
Our hearts go out to all passengers, crew, and residents who died in Pakistan.
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