PIA plane crash report will be presented in NA on Wednesday: Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar

ISLAMABAD: The government will present the preliminary investigation report on the Karachi plane crash incident in the National Assembly on Wednesday along with previous reports, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said on Monday.

"I had promised the nation that I would present the report of the plane crash. The report is ready," the minister said, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan has also been briefed about the report and the findings.

The minister went on to add that the findings will be shared with the nation on Wednesday along with reports on air accidents occurred between 2010 to 2020.

Earlier, Ghulam Sarwar Khan met the prime minister and briefed him on the investigations made into the incident. 

On May 22, flight PK-8303 crashed in Model Colony near the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, killing 97 people while two miraculously survived. 

Following the crash, PM Imran and relevant authorities ordered a probe into the incident to determine why the plane had crashed. Airbus experts were called to Karachi a few days after the crash to investigate the incident. 

Read more: PIA plane crash: No survivors except 2 as rescuers finish accounting for passengers

Ghulam Sarwar had said during a National Assembly session that he would present the report in the assembly by June 22.

Read more: Preliminary report of PIA plane crash raises serious questions 

Sarwar had said during a press conference as well that those who were responsible for the air crash would be held accountable after a 'transparent inquiry' took place.

"As an elected public representative I promise you a transparent probe and that action will be taken. The government will make this investigation public as well as all the previous investigations of aviation disasters," he had said. 

CAA says PIA pilot violated landing protocol

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in a report issued on June 3 had alleged that the PIA pilot violated landing protocols.

According to the report published in The News, the pilot disregarded air traffic control's (ATC) direction to lower the altitude.

In his letter to the general manager (safety), the additional director of flight operations has stated the plane's altitude and speed were higher than the required limit for landing. The ATC had cautioned the pilot twice but he disregarded the warnings.

PIA pilot sent Mayday call moments before crash

According to a recording, the PIA pilot had sent a Mayday call and told controllers the aircraft had lost power from both its engines on its second attempt to land.

After the aircraft reportedly called off an earlier attempt to land and went around for a second attempt, a controller radioed the pilot of flight 8303 that he appeared to be turning left, suggesting he was off-course.

The pilot replied, "We are returning back, sir, we have lost engines," and the controller cleared the plane to land on either of Karachi airport's two West-Southwest-facing runways.

Twelve seconds later, the pilot called "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" and was again cleared to use either runway. 

There was no further communication from the aircraft, reported to be an Airbus A320, according to the audio from liveatc.net, a respected source for in-flight recordings.

Deceased pilot's father says he has 'not an ounce of faith' in PIA's crash inquiry

Earlier, father of PIA pilot Captain Sajjad Gul had said he did not have "an ounce of faith" in the airline's inquiry into the tragic plane crash which left 97 dead — including his son.

Gul Muhammad Bhatti said it "pained him to say that the PIA's top hierarchy itself is leaking bits of the inquiry report and blaming people left and right for negligence".

He said that they (PIA) are "not trustworthy people" and are "not fit to conduct an inquiry".

"Those people are not professional and are not good people," he said.

"He has logged in 17,000 hours. He is the only pilot to have completed 1,000 hours in a year [...] he is a thorough professional," said the aggrieved father.

Bhatti said that he has faith, however, in the assurances given by the governor who has said he "stands with him" and in the prime minister.

He said no remarks must be made until the black box's contents come forward and he will comment "if justice is not done".