Mid-air Collision Avoided by PIA Flight PK-368?

[Abbas Ali]

According to news sources, a PIA aircraft performing flight PK-368 from Karachi to Quetta avoided collision with two aircraft during landing approach to Quetta Airport.

The two other aircraft not identified by news channels. Probably those two were Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft based at PAF Base Samungli attached to Quetta Airport.

PK-368 landed safely at Quetta Airport.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

According to ARY News an aircraft on a training flight came in the path of PIA flight PK-368.

Air Traffic Controller (ATC) is blamed for the incident.

According to information on following link, today's flight PK-368 was operated with Jordan Aviation Airbus A320-211 (JY-JAT) on wet lease to PIA.

http://www.flightradar24.com/data/airplanes/jy-jat/

Flight PK-368 is operated from Karachi to Islamabad via Quetta every Friday, according to PIA flights schedule.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

According to Dunya News channel, two combat aircraft of PAF suddenly came in the path of PK-368.

Hope PK-368 by mistake was not approaching Runway 13R/31L used by military aircraft of PAF Base Samungli.

Following image shows Runway 13/31 used by civilian aircraft flying to/from Quetta Airport and Runway 13R/31L used by military aircraft flying to/from PAF Base Samungli. The two parallel runways can confuse some pilots.



Abbas

[raihans]

^ why not giving identification to 13/31 as 13Left/31Right

[Ameerjan]

Runway 13/31 used by civilian aircraft flying to/from Quetta Airport and Runway 13R/31L used by military aircraft flying to/from PAF Base Samungli. The two parallel runways can confuse some pilots.

Abbas sir, Im frequently travelling from Quetta Airport let me share my experience i also observe "Runway 13R / 13L" are not being used, However Runway 13 / 31 is being used by civilan aircrafts + PAF aircraft and its happened many times where we start taxing for departure we have been asked to Hold and wait, because runway 13 / 31 was engaged due to PAF Aircrafts landing & Takeoff.

And this shows its a mistake of ATC

PIA Flight PK 368 Airbus 320

why not giving identification to 13/31 as 13Left/31Right

Raihan identifications are assigns but they have to be repaint, you can see it while zooming it on Quetta Airport using http://wikimapia.org/#lang=ur&lat=30.24 ... 9&z=14&m=b

[Abbas Ali]

^ Thank you Ameer for the info.

When I saw Quetta Airport on Wikimapia in 2012, the runway used for civilian flights was marked as 13/31.

I see it in latest image marked as 13L/31R in Wikimapia link posted by you.



Btw, according to information on the web, PAF No. 17 "Tigers" Squadron and No. 23 "Talons" Squadron are based at PAF Base Samungli. Both squadrons are currently equipped with Chengdu F-7PG Skybolt fighter/interceptor aircraft.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Pakistan Air Force Clarification

QUETTA/ISLAMABAD- Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has refuted news reports that a Quetta-bound PIA flight travelling from Karachi almost collided with two fighter jets on Friday.

PAF spokesperson in a statement said, "It is clarified that no flight safety situation occurred during landing phase of PK-368 at Quetta International Airport. Both the pilots of the PAF fighter jets were in visual contact with the civil airliner and also in radio contact with Air Traffic Control tower.

As both the combat pilots were visual with the airliner thus they maintained vertical as well as lateral safe separations as per International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules, he said.

Similarly, at the same time the Air Traffic Control tower informed the pilot of PK-368 about the presence of PAF fighter jets at safe distance, the PAF said.

Source: The Nation

[Shahab]

Are civilian / military aircraft traffic controlled by the same controllers at Quetta? and if different then how do they co-ordinate take offs and landings?

[TAILWIND]

Are civilian / military aircraft traffic controlled by the same controllers at Quetta? and if different then how do they co-ordinate take offs and landings?

At any airfield, there is a single controller for all types of traffic, civil or military. Yes there can be separate controllers for various sections or activities e.g, apron controller, ground, tower etc, even then they are responsible for all traffic within thier responsibility.
In Pakistan, joint user airfields are those where PAF and commercial traffic both operate. On all or most of such airfields, the tower is manned by PAF controllers. Quetta is one of them.

[Abbas Ali]

Btw, according to a news channel PIA flight PK-368 is operated non-stop from Karachi to Islamabad but on September 12 it was re-routed via Quetta.

Abbas

[Shahab]

Many thanks for the info Tailwind.