Human error blamed for 2020 Karachi plane crash

The PIA investigation board has released an inquiry report into the Karachi plane, which claimed 99 lives, four years after the heart-wrenching tragedy, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

Amid lack of coordination, human error was reported to be the main cause of the crash, said the inquiry report.

The final investigation report was released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board regarding PIA Airbus A320 nearly four years after the crash that claimed 99 lives on May 22, 2020.

The report clearly said there was a lack of communication and harmony between the two pilots and air traffic controllers.

It further revealed that four times before landing, the air traffic controller stopped the pilot from landing, telling him that the plane's key height was too high. For the fifth time, the air traffic controller allowed for landing. However, the air traffic controller did not tell the pilot that the plane's engine hit the runway and burst into flames during the first landing attempt.

Moreover, for the first landing, the airplane’s landing gears were opened, however at the second landing time one of the pilots again closed the landing gear. Hence, the plane made an attempt for landing without opening the landing gears for the first time, during which its engines struck the runway which ignited flames. Both the engines were affected due to this.

The findings revealed that data from the plane’s last four minutes could not be recorded as engine failure cut the electricity supply.

The report said “the administrative responsibility for the accident lies on PIA and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Due to lack of flight data analysis, mistakes of pilots related to flight procedures were not revealed,” the report concluded.