What happened
On the scheduled domestic route from Karachi to Islamabad, Airblue flight ABQ202 departed Karachi at 0241 UTC. The aircraft, an Airbus A321, was carrying a total of 152 people, consisting of 146 passengers and six crew members.
During the flight, the aircraft began a circling approach toward runway 12 at Islamabad. At approximately 0441:08, the plane struck the Margalla Hills. The impact occurred roughly 9.6 nautical miles from the Islamabad VOR, specifically on a 334 radial. The collision resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and 152 fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft crashed while performing a circling approach.
- The impact with terrain occurred during the approach phase of flight.