Punjab (پنجاب) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Rahim Yar Khan-Sheikh Zayed Airport and was spraying pesticide in the area to tackle another wave of locust attacks, which began in December 2019, on the request of the district administration. In unknown circumstances, the single engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a sandy area located in Sadiqabad, killing both crew members, a pilot and a flight engineer. They were completing a mission on behalf of the Department of Agriculture of Pakistan. Initial investigations suggest the plane crashed due to a technical fault.

Crash of a Boeing 737-4H6 in Lahore

Date & Time: Nov 3, 2015 at 0926 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-400

Operator:

Registration:

AP-BJO

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Karachi – Lahore

MSN:

27166/2410

YOM:

1992

Flight number:

NL142

Location:

Lahore-Allama Muhammad Iqbal

Punjab (پنجاب)

Country:

Pakistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

114

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

19302

Captain / Total hours on type:

4859.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2076

Copilot / Total hours on type:

410

Aircraft flight hours:

51585

Aircraft flight cycles:

46547

Circumstances:

On 03rd November 2015, M/s Shaheen Air International Flight NL-142, Boeing 737-400 aircraft Reg # AP-BJO, was on a scheduled passenger flight from Karachi to Lahore. The flight landed on Runway 36L as Runway 36R was not available due to ILS CAT-III up-gradation. After touchdown, both main landing gears broke one after the other. Subsequently, the aircraft departed runway while resting on both engines and stopped 8302 ft from Runway Threshold (RWT), 197ft left of runway centreline. The nose landing gear, however, remained intact. All the passengers were safely evacuated through emergency procedure.

Probable cause:

The accident took place due to:
- Cockpit crew landing the aircraft through unstabilized approach (high ground speed and incorrect flight path).
- Low sink rate of left main landing gear (LMLG) as it touched down and probable presence of (more than the specified limits) play in the linkages of shimmy damper mechanism. This situation led to torsional vibrations / breakage of shimmy damper after touchdown. The resultant torsional excitation experienced by the LMLG due to free pivoting of wheels (along vertical axis) caused collapse of LMLG.
- The RMLG collapsed due to overload as the aircraft moved on unprepared surface.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 737-4H6 in Lahore

Date & Time: Dec 30, 2014 at 1522 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-400

Operator:

Registration:

AP-BJN

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Karachi – Lahore

MSN:

26460/2533

YOM:

1993

Flight number:

NL148

Location:

Lahore-Allama Muhammad Iqbal

Punjab (پنجاب)

Country:

Pakistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

166

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Karachi, the crew completed the approach and landing on runway 36L at Lahore-Allama Muhammad Iqbal Airport. After touchdown, the crew initiated the braking procedure when the left main gear partially collapsed. Control was lost and the aircraft veered to the right before coming to rest in a grassy area. All 172 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the left main gear partially collapsed after it suffered a bird strike (rapacious) on approach.

Crash of an ATR42-500 in Lahore

Date & Time: Aug 31, 2012 at 1510 LT

Type of aircraft:

ATR42-500

Operator:

Registration:

AP-BHJ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Islamabad - Lahore

MSN:

657

YOM:

2006

Flight number:

PK653

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Islamabad, the crew started the descent to runway 36R in marginal weather conditions. Upon touchdown on a wet runway, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft slid for about 1,700 feet before exiting the runway to the right and coming to rest 60 feet further on. All 46 occupants were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. Five minutes after the accident, the weather briefing was as follow: OPLA 311015Z 16009KT 3000 RA BKN040 OVC100 29/24 Q1003. But ten minutes prior to the crash, the weather briefing was as follow: OPLA 311000Z 33008KT 4000 -RA SCT040 BKN100 32/24 Q1002 TEMPO 31030KT 2000 TSRA FEW030CB. Thus, the conditions were considered as marginal with turbulences, wind to 30 knots and CB's at 3,000 feet. On 11SEP2012, the French BEA reported that the aircraft touched down just at the beginning of the paved surface (undershoot area) to the right of the extended runway 36R centerline, causing the right main gear to collapse. It was reported that the aircraft was unstable on short final and that the crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure while the aircraft was too low on the glide.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Multan: 45 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 2006 at 1205 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F27 Friendship

Operator:

Registration:

AP-BAL

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Multan - Lahore

MSN:

10243

YOM:

1964

Flight number:

PK688

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9320

Captain / Total hours on type:

138.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

520

Copilot / Total hours on type:

303

Aircraft flight hours:

73591

Aircraft flight cycles:

83485

Circumstances:

On 10 July 2006, F-27 Fokker registration No AP-BAL, belonging to Pakistan International Airline was scheduled to fly from Multan to Lahore. The aircraft had 45 souls on board including four crew members. The Captain of the aircraft was Captain Hamid Qureshi. The aircraft took off for Lahore at 1205 hours Pakistan Standard Time (PST) from Multan Runway 36. Soon after takeoff, the aircraft was observed by the ATC and other eyewitnesses to be maintaining very low altitude and drifting right in a bank. ATC Control tower tried to establish contact with aircraft, but no contact was established. Subsequently a call from the local resident was received stating that an aircraft had crashed at about 2 km, NE of the Runway. All souls on board the aircraft sustained fatal injuries and the aircraft was completely burned.

Probable cause:

Accidents and losses are part of aviation business, but avoidable accidents hurt us the most. PIA or any other company can ill afford such losses. In this accident, while the aircraft had developed a problem in its right engine turbine, resulting in the engine failure, yet a professional handling by the aircrew could have saved 45 precious lives and a valuable aircraft. It is also felt that this accident may not be viewed as an isolated case of a pilot’s failure to handle the emergency. The problems were observed to be complex and deep routed and reflect towards the organization and her culture. The occurrence (right engine failure) took place due to improper assembly during overhaul. Quality Control system of PIA Engineering appears to be ineffective in detecting the weaknesses. The accident took place due to improper handling of the emergency by the air crew which reflected towards in adequacies of PIA Training/Assessment and Scheduling System. The CAA Airworthiness, too, can not be absolved of their responsibilities of regulating and monitoring the quality control system at PIAC Engineering.

Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Bahawalpur: 30 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1988 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

23494

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Bahawalpur - Islamabad

MSN:

3708

YOM:

1962

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Bahawalpur Airport, while in initial climb, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed 7 km from the airport. All 30 occupants were killed, among them Muhammad Zia Ul-Haq, President of the Republic of Pakistan, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Akhtar Abdur Rahman, Brigadier Siddique Salik, several high ranking officers of the Pakistan Army and also the American Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel. They were returning to Islamabad following a US M1 Abrams tank demonstration in Bahawalpur.

Probable cause:

Due to the presence of officials on board, it was believed that the accident was the consequence of sabotage but this could not be proven. About 20 years later, in 2008, the British newspaper 'The Times' reported that, back in 1988, an analysis conducted by a US laboratory found 'extensive contamination' by brass and aluminium particles in the elevator booster package. This may have caused sluggish controls leading to overcontrol. This in turn may have led to the pilots losing control at low altitude soon after takeoff. Nevertheless, the exact cause of the accident remains unclear.

Crash of a Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II in Mankera: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1984

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II

Operator:

Govenment of Baluchistan

Registration:

AP-AYQ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Quetta – Dera Ismail Khan

MSN:

421B-0899

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane was completing a flight from Quetta to Dera Ismail Khan when it crashed under unknown circumstances in Mankera, Punjab. The pilot and two passengers were killed while a third passenger survived, Sardar Farooq Shaukat Khan Lodhi, Governor of the Province of Baluchistan.