Date & Time:
Feb 24, 2003
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 402
Operator:
Registration:
AP-BFG
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Karachi - Kabul
MSN:
402B-1304
YOM:
1977
Country:
Pakistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
6
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
6793
Circumstances:
The aircraft was chartered by the Afghan Government to carry a delegation from Karachi to Kabul. After takeoff from Karachi-Quaid-e-Azam Airport, the twin engine aircraft continued to climb to an altitude of 9,000 feet when it entered an uncontrolled descent. At an altitude of 2,500 feet, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens then crashed in the Arabian Sea few km offshore. The stabilizers and the tail were found few hundred metres from the main wreckage. All eight occupants were killed, among them Juma Mohammad Mohammadi, Afghan Minister of Industry and four members of his cabinet as well as one Chinese businessman.
Probable cause:
The Pakistan board of investigations determined that the probable cause of this accident was a structural failure due to overload. The aircraft weight was 7,183 lbs at the time of the accident as the maximum load as mentioned in the operational manual is 6,300 lbs, which means 883 pounds above max gross weight. It is believed that during climbout, the tail and stabilizers detached due to overload conditions.
