What happened
On May 22, 2020, at 14:40 Pakistan Standard Time, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A320-214, registration AP-BLD, crashed in a populated area near Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) in Karachi. The aircraft was short of runway 25L when it impacted the ground. Of the 99 individuals on board, 97 were fatally injured.
The investigation
The Board of Air Safety Investigation (BASI), Pakistan, issued an interim statement in accordance with ICAO Annex-13 requirements to outline the progress of the safety investigation. The proceedings involved collaboration among various participants, including joint meetings, teleconferences, and physical visits by the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) to PIA stations in Lahore and Karachi.
Accredited Representatives (ACCREPs) recommended face-to-face sessions with BEA, Safran, Airbus, and AAIB Pakistan. A meeting planned for late January 2022 was delayed due to the pandemic but was rescheduled for mid-March 2022 to discuss accident aspects and reach agreed conclusions. The AAIB team requested additional information and engineering simulations, most of which were received from ACCREPs.
Findings
The analysis of gathered information and contribution reports is ongoing at AAIB for the formulation of conclusions and safety recommendations. A draft final report is under process, with participating states having the opportunity to review and comment before the final report is forwarded to the Government of Pakistan for public release.