Pilot, ATC Responsible for PIA Airbus Crash: Pak Inquiry

Pakistani preliminary investigations have attributed the cause behind PIA Airbus A320 crash on May 22 to blunders committed by both pilot and air traffic controller (ATC).

The PK-8303 airplane operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crashed in Model Colony, a congested residential area around 5km from Karachi Airport last month, killing 97 people onboard.

On Monday, a provisional inquiry report stated that the pilot of the ill-fated flight was “overconfident” as he failed to follow Standard Operating Procedures for landing. The ATC also erred by giving the go-ahead to the pilot for making a second attempt for landing after the first failed, Pakistan local media reported.

Two failed attempts to land could have led the aircraft to lose both engines, reports said.

The team investigating the crash prepared the report on the basis of conversation between the ATC and the pilot, cockpit voice recorder data and evidence collected from the site where the plane had crashed.