Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303
Aerial view of the crash site
Accident
Date22 May 2020 (2020-05-22)
SummaryCrashed due to pilot error after dual engine failure following belly landing and go-around
Site
Total fatalities98
Total injuries5
Aircraft

AP-BLD, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in February 2020
Aircraft typeAirbus A320-214
OperatorPakistan International Airlines
IATA flight No.PK8303
ICAO flight No.PIA8303
Call signPAKISTAN 8303
RegistrationAP-BLD
Flight originAllama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, Pakistan
DestinationJinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan
Occupants99
Passengers91
Crew8
Fatalities97
Injuries2
Survivors2
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities1
Ground injuries3

On 22 May 2020, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303, a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Lahore to Karachi, crashed while on approach to Jinnah International Airport, killing 97 out of the 99 people on board as well as an additional person on the ground. The aircraft, an Airbus A320-214 with 91 passengers and 8 crew members on board, was on an unstable approach to Jinnah International Airport at an unsafely high airspeed and altitude. The aircraft subsequently belly landed nearly half-way down the airport runway before the flight crew conducted a go-around. During the go-around, both engines started to fail due to damage sustained during the belly landing. Whilst attempting to land back on the runway, the aircraft lost airspeed and crashed into buildings in Model Colony. All 8 crew members and 89 out of the 91 passengers on board were killed by the impact and post-crash fire. One person who was inside the buildings died ten days after the crash due to burn injuries.

The investigation, conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board of Pakistan, determined that both the captain and first officer made multiple errors, over an extended period, during both of the approaches and landing attempts. The crew showed inadequate crew resource management in relation to safe flight operations and lack of adherence to standard operating procedures. The investigators determined that the crew's actions resulted in the aircraft becoming significantly above the proper approach path for the runway. The flight crew disregarded air traffic control instructions and continued on with the unstabilized approach. Improper position on the approach path and configuration of the aircraft caused the autopilot to disengage. In response to the high descent rate and numerous warnings from the ground proximity warning system, the first officer raised the landing gear and speed brakes in an attempt to go around but did not verbalize his actions to the captain or follow up with the proper go-around procedure, with the captain continuing the landing procedure. The aircraft then contacted the surface of the runway multiple times, sustaining severe damage to the engines, which led to a failure of both engine and electrical generators after the aircraft left the runway. The crew attempted to return to the airport, but without functioning engines, the aircraft's altitude was too low to make a successful landing. The aircraft lost airspeed and crashed to a row of buildings 4,410 ft (1,340 m) from the threshold of the runway.