Incident Overview
On 10 November 2018, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Flight 517, an ATR 72-500 aircraft registered as AP-BKY, was operating a scheduled passenger service from Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) in Karachi to Panjgur Airport. The aircraft departed Karachi at 0207 UTC with 61 persons on board, including passengers and crew. The takeoff and en route flight were uneventful.
Approach and Landing
Prior to landing, Panjgur Air Traffic Control cleared the flight for an approach to Runway 31 and reported wind conditions as 050 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The aircraft encountered a tailwind during the approach. The reference approach speed from the Flight Crew Operations Manual was 107 knots, but the actual airspeed on final approach ranged between 118 and 135 knots, significantly higher than calculated. The aircraft touched down at 0305 UTC approximately halfway down the 5,000-foot runway at a speed of 116 knots. The captain initially initiated a rejected landing procedure by advancing the throttles but then retarded them and continued with the landing roll.
Runway Excursion
Despite braking and reverse thrust, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining runway length. It departed the far end of Runway 31 and came to rest in the overrun area, 400 feet beyond the runway edge and 100 feet to the right of the centerline. All occupants were safely evacuated following the incident.
Aircraft Condition and Other Factors
The aircraft had a deactivated No. 2 brake assembly (left side internal wheel) in accordance with the Minimum Equipment List (MEL). Both the captain and first officer had noted this anomaly given the reduced runway dimensions, but the issue was not addressed by the operator. The meteorological conditions at Panjgur Airport were reported as fair with no significant weather. The incident was reported to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board of Pakistan through mandatory occurrence reports on 12 November 2018, and an investigation was authorized on 16 November 2018.