Pilots’ ‘Human Error’ Blamed for 2020 Karachi Plane Crash That Claimed 101 Lives

The board has held the failure of the two pilots as the main reason for the fatal crash.

The investigation report into the tragic Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi in May 2020 has attributed the disaster, which claimed the lives of 101 individuals, primarily to “human error” on the part of the two pilots.

Released by the Aircraft Investigation Board (AIB), the report sheds light on the sequence of events leading to the Airbus A320’s failure to land safely and its subsequent crash into a residential area adjacent to the airport.

According to the findings, the pilots’ lack of proper judgment during the landing phase was identified as the primary cause of the fatal crash, resulting in the loss of 99 passengers’ lives, with only two miraculous survivors. The report highlights that the air traffic controller had repeatedly advised against landing due to incorrect altitude.

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During the initial landing attempt, the aircraft’s engines made contact with the ground, triggering the shutdown of the engine lubrication system, ultimately leading to “engine failure” and the subsequent crash, as detailed in the report.

Moreover, the report holds both PIA and the Civil Aviation Authority responsible for the absence of clear guidelines regarding pilots’ fasting during Ramadan while on duty, suggesting a potential contributory factor to the lapse in judgement.

Additionally, it was noted that the power supply onboard the aircraft was disrupted after the engine failure, resulting in the non-recording of the final four minutes of the flight data. The pilots’ lack of coordination during the landing attempt was also identified as a contributing factor to the tragedy.

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Furthermore, the airworthiness records revealed that the Airbus A320 had previously been in service with China Eastern Airlines from 2004 to 2014 before being incorporated into PIA’s fleet.

The incident underscores a broader history of safety concerns, with eight recorded PIA aircraft incidents between 1965 and 2020, prompting renewed calls for enhanced safety measures within the aviation industry.

Naiteek Bhatt