PIA analyses causes of Fokker crash

[Abbas Ali]

KARACHI (July 25 2006): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has said it has analysed the various possible causes behind the crash of its Fokker F-27 aircraft near Multan recently. The PIA analysis below serves as a response to the assertions made by different quarters.

OVERLOADING OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HIGH TEMPERATURE: The PIA trim staff is trained, qualified and licensed, and performs the aircraft weight and balance on a daily basis. The trim report is finally checked and signed by the captain of the flight.

There were 41 passengers in the aircraft with 44 seats. This means that the weight due to the passengers alone was nearly 300kg less. Besides, the aircraft was capable of taking off at 48 degrees Centigrade whereas the temperature at 1200 hours on July 10, 2006 was just 35 degrees Centigrade, and the aircraft weight was only 40,000lbs. At this temperature, the aircraft is allowed a take-off weight of 43,000lbs. So on this count, the aircraft was underweight by 3,000lbs.

Therefore, the aircraft was underload by a total of 3,000lbs plus passenger and baggage weight of 300kg.

LATE ARRIVAL OF RESCUERS: The first to reach the site at 12:10pm was Mohafiz-5 squad of Sadar Police Station. Two policemen of this squad on motorbike were within 100 metres of the spot. When they saw people running towards the spot, they followed. The DSP Sadar Police Station reached with five policemen at 12:15pm, Civil Aviation’s Airport Security Force jeep at 12:15pm and four ambulances from Nishtar Hospital at 12:20pm. At the same time, PIA officials Malik Ashfaq, Malik Bashir and others, as well as CAA officials Amer Mehboob and Sarfaraz Khan, ASF incharge, also arrived. Fire brigade of TMA reached the spot at 12:25pm, DCO Iftikhar Babar and two more fire brigades and six Edhi ambulances at 12:30pm, and CAA fire brigades at 12:35pm.

However, the crash site, about 2 miles away, was not in direct access of the CAA fire brigades, because of the private property and the population lying in the way. CAA fire brigades are normally meant to fight fire within the airport fencing. The route available to the crash site was very narrow and ran through a congested populated area.

COMPARISON WITH TORONTO CRASH: The Multan crash is different from the Toronto one. In the latter case, the aircraft was able to land on the runway and its doors were operative. Since the aircraft was on its belly, the height of the passenger cabin was good enough for people to escape. Besides, the fire started from the tail. In view of all this, there was enough time available for evacuation.

In the Multan crash, the aircraft impacted with high forces with the ground and broke into several pieces. It was engulfed by fire leaving no chance of survival. All the passengers died of the impact and resulting fire.

STAFF ARRIVED LATE: PIA ramp coach with 14 staff from Passenger Services, 10 from TGS and 3 from Engineering, reached the scene of crash within 15 minutes.

APU WAS NOT FUNCTIONING: There is no APU unit on the Fokker aircraft at all. Therefore, there is no question of whether it was functional or not.

DART ENGINES: Sigma Aerospace has been overhauling and repairing the Rolls Royce Dart engines and its propellers since 1962, and has processed around 3,000 engines since then. The Dart Engine continues to successfully operate throughout the world and the company is committed to fully supporting the engines until it is withdrawn from service.

Meanwhile, the PIA said once the investigations were complete, they would be able to tell what exactly was the reason behind the tragic accident. It also requested the media to have patience till then.

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan