Preliminary investigation report of PIA flight PK8303 was presented today, to the Prime Minister which held the pilot and ATC responsible for the fatal crash. The report says that the pilot was overconfident and did not follow the ATC’s instructions.

This is in line with our previous update in which we reported that initial evidence pointed to pilot error as likely cause of the crash. Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had said in a report that the pilot had violated landing protocol.

New CCTV footage has now been released which clearly show the Airbus A320 in contact with the ground, with its engines engulfed in flames. This footage confirms earlier reports which indicated that the plane attempted a landing without the landing gear deployed. The engines also left scrape marks on the runway.

One of the two survivors of the crash also said that the plane contacted the runway before taking off again for another attempt.

The preliminary report suggests negligence on part of the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) who didn’t instruct the pilots to land once the plane impacted the ground. As a result, the plane took off once again and crashed into the populated Model Colony area killing all but two of the 99 souls on board.

The Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan placed the investigation report before the Parliament.

It is important to note here that a detailed report of all the relevant details and evidence will be issued in the coming months.

Travel Radar will continue monitoring events and report as the story develops. 

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