Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631
A Pakistan International Airlines Fokker F-27 Friendship, similar to the one involved
Accident
DateDecember 8, 1972 (1972-12-08)
SummaryControlled flight into terrain
SiteJalkot, Pakistan
Aircraft
Aircraft typeFokker F-27 Friendship 600
OperatorPakistan International Airlines
RegistrationAP-AUS
Flight originGilgit Airport
DestinationBenazir Bhutto International Airport
Passengers22[1] or 28[2][3][4][5]
Crew4[1] or 5[2][3][4][5]
Fatalities26[1] or 32[2][3][4][5]
Survivors0[1][6]

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight on 8 December 1972 operated by the Pakistan International Airlines that took off from Gilgit Airport in Gilgit, Pakistan, bound for Rawalpindi International Airport in Rawalpindi. The involved aircraft was a Fokker F-27. The aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain killing all people on board.

The crash took place on the same day as Ethiopian Airlines Flight 708 and United Air Lines Flight 553.[6][5]

Flight, search and recovery

In the evening of 8 December 1972, the Pakistan International Airlines operated Fokker F-27 departed at 11:40am from Gilgit Airport in Gilgit, Pakistan bound for Rawalpindi International Airport in Rawalpindi where it was scheduled to arrive at 12:50pm.[2][7] There were rainy conditions during the flight. The aircraft lost radio contact halfway after 125 miles with Rawalpindi.[7]

After the aircraft didn't arrive during the evening of 8 December 1972, the airplane was reported missing by Pakistan International Airlines.[2][5] A search operation was started with two C-130 transports and two helicopters. They were not able to find the aircraft and stopped when visibility became low, with ground searching continuing.[7] There was hope the Fokker had made an emergency landing at Chilas,[7] but the wreck was found the next day on Saturday 9 December.[6] The aircraft had struck a snow-covered 9000 feet high mountain at the foot of the Himalayas near the village of Maidan around 8 miles south of Jalkot.[8][6] All people on board were killed.[1][6]

The bodies from the airplane were recovered by soldiers of the Pakistan Army.[8]

Aircraft

The involved aircraft was a Pakistan International Airlines owned Fokker F-27 Friendship 600 with registration number AP-AUS and MSN 10314. The aircraft had made its first flight on 2 December 1966 and had since made 11077 total airframe hours and 16720 cycles.[1]

Casualties

There is a difference between sources about the number of people onboard. Aviation Safety Networks lists 26 people (22 passengers and four crew members),[1] newspaper sources list 33 people (28 passengers and five crew members).[3][6][2][4][5] The News states it were at least 31 people.[9] There were no survivors.[1][6]

The five crew members consisted of two cockpit crew including captain Javedullah, two cabin crew and one air guard.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "ASN Aircraft accident Fokker F-27 Friendship 600 AP-AUS Maidan". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Pakistaanse Fokker Friendship vermist" [Pakistani Fokker Friendship missing]. Trouw (in Dutch). December 9, 1972. Retrieved February 12, 2024 – via Delpher.
  3. ^ a b c d "Pakistaanse Friendship vermist" [Pakistani Friendship Missing]. De Waarheid (in Dutch). December 9, 1972. Retrieved February 12, 2024 – via Delpher.
  4. ^ a b c d "Friendship vermist" [Friendship missing]. Limburgs Dagblad (in Dutch). December 9, 1972. Retrieved February 12, 2024 – via Delpher.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Drie luchtrampen op één dag | Fokker Friendship in Pakistan spoorloos" [Three air disasters in one day | Fokker Friendship missing in Pakistan]. Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). December 9, 1972. Retrieved February 12, 2024 – via Delpher.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Twee vliegrampen op één dag" [Two air disasters in one day]. De Waarheid (in Dutch). December 11, 1972. Retrieved February 12, 2024 – via Delpher.
  7. ^ a b c d e "From The Past Pages Of Dawn: 1972: Fifty Years Ago: PIA Fokker missing". Dawn. December 9, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "History of PIA accidents". historyofpia.com. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  9. ^ "A timeline of plane crashes in Pakistan". The News. May 22, 2020. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.