Country
Operator Image

Crash of a Boeing 707-340C near At Ta'if: 156 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1979 at 0204 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-AWZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kano - Jeddah - Karachi
MSN:
20275/844
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
PK740
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
145
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
156
Aircraft flight hours:
30710
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a schedule service from Kano to Karachi with an intermediate stop at Jeddah, carrying 145 passengers and a crew of 11. It departed Jeddah-King Abdulaziz Airport at 0129LT and continued to climb by night and good weather conditions. While cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet, the captain informed ATC about an in-flight fire and was cleared to descent to 30,000 feet then 4,000 feet at his discretion. Seventeen minutes later, the situation on board became very critical with heavy smoke spreading in the cabin and the crew declared an emergency. While attempting an emergency landing in a desert area, the airplane struck the ground and disintegrated on impact. The wreckage was found about 48 km north of At Ta'if, in a rocky area. None of the 156 occupants survived the crash.
Probable cause:
An in-flight fire in the cabin area which, through its intensity and rapid extension, resulted in panic among the passengers and smoke in the cockpit, eventually incapacitating the flight crew. The cause of the cabin fire was not determined. It was considered that the origin of the cabin fire could have been a leaking gasoline or kerosene stove, carried aboard by Haj pilgrim passengers. Pressure differential could have caused a poorly sealed gasket to leak fuel. A second possibility is an electrical fire, but the rapid extension of the fire was considered difficult to explain because of the electrical circuit protection devices of the Boeing 707. Sabotage was considered as another possibility, but no evidence of use of an incendiary device was found.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Karachi: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-ATO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Karachi - Karachi
MSN:
10250
YOM:
1964
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
30260
Aircraft flight cycles:
38666
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at Karachi-Quaid-e-Azam Airport consisting of stall tests. On final approach, both engines lost power simultaneously and the aircraft stalled. The crew elected to regain control but the airplane crashed. The copilot was seriously injured while the captain was killed.
Probable cause:
Overtemperature of both engines, resulting in their simultaneous failure. This was caused by malfunction of the contact switches of No.1 engine propeller automatic flight safety pitch lock withdrawal system and the pilot's failure to withdraw the locks manually by placing the HP fuel cock levers in the 'lockout' position.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Faysalabad

Date & Time: May 28, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-AUW
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Multan - Faysalabad
MSN:
10331
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
12767
Aircraft flight cycles:
16500
Circumstances:
On final approach, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck tree tops and crashed 800 meters short of runway threshold. All 40 occupants were evacuated while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 near Jalkot: 31 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1972 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-AUS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Gilgit - Rawalpindi
MSN:
10314
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
PK631
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Aircraft flight hours:
11077
Aircraft flight cycles:
16720
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Gilgit Airport at 1140LT bound for Rawalpindi on flight PK631. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a snow covered mountain located near Jalkot. The wreckage was found few hours later and none of the 31 occupants survived the crash. At the time of the accident, the visibility was nil due to low clouds and snow falls. Apparently, the crew lost his orientation and maybe started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to struck the ground.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing 707-340C in Ürümqi

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-AVZ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Karachi - Ürümqi
MSN:
20487/847
YOM:
1971
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The descent to Ürümqi-Diwopu Airport was initiated in poor weather conditions due to snow falls. On final, the crew was too high on the glide, causing the plane to land too far down the runway. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest few dozen yards farther. All five crew members were slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who attempted to land while the aircraft was too high on the glide. As the approach configuration was non compliant, the crew should initiate a go-around manoeuvre.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 near Saindak: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-ALX
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Karachi - Zahedan
MSN:
10188
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
22287
Aircraft flight cycles:
26177
Circumstances:
While descending to Zahedan Airport in limited visibility on a cargo flight from Karachi, the airplane struck a mountain and crashed near Saindak, at the Iran-Pakistan border. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed. Controlled flight into terrain suspected.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Shamshernagar: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-AUV
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
10330
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
7813
Aircraft flight cycles:
11387
Circumstances:
On approach to Shamshernagar Airport, the pilot realized he was too high on the glide. Instead of initiating a go-around manoeuvre, he selected ground fine pitch on both propellers while the aircraft was at a height of few hundred feet and at a speed of 125 knots. Doing so, the airplane adopted a high rate of descent and at a height of 20 feet above the ground, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed short of runway. The airplane was totally destroyed and seven passengers were killed. All other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the pilot-in-command who selected ground fine pitch on both propellers still in flight instead of making a go-around manoeuvre.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Rawalpindi: 30 killed

Date & Time: Aug 6, 1970 at 0717 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-ALM
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rawalpindi - Lahore
MSN:
10163
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Aircraft flight hours:
19000
Aircraft flight cycles:
26000
Circumstances:
Three minutes after its takeoff from Rawalpindi Airport, while climbing, the airplane went through a thunderstorm area. Due to heavy turbulences, the airplane went out of control, nosed down and eventually crashed in an open field located some 20 km southeast of Rawalpindi. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 30 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control while flying in a thunderstorm area consisting of heavy rain falls, turbulences and strong winds.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 near Mahandri: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1965 at 0630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-ATT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rawalpindi – Skardu
MSN:
10279
YOM:
1965
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
5640
Captain / Total hours on type:
3510.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
865
Copilot / Total hours on type:
30
Aircraft flight hours:
491
Aircraft flight cycles:
528
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Rawalpindi Airport at 0601LT on a domestic flight to Skardu, carrying 9,146 pounds of food supplies. At 0604LT, it called Cherat Homer stating that it was due at control zone boundary at 0610LT. According to the Chakhlala ATC log the aircraft called Skardu at 0607LT on 119.7 but there was no response from Skardu on this frequency. According to the Skardu log: Skardu asked Gilgit at 0620LT to listen out for the aircraft and advise it to change over to 5514 kcs. The aircraft called Skardu at 0630LT on 5514 kcs. There was no further communication with the aircraft. It was subsequently found that the aircraft had struck the northern side of a ridge at an elevation of 13,100 feet just inside Pakistan territory near the Pakistan-Azad Kashmir border. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 720-040B near Cairo: 121 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 1965 at 0148 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-AMH
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Karachi – Dhahran – Cairo – Geneva – London
MSN:
18379
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
PK705
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
114
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
121
Captain / Total flying hours:
13142
Captain / Total hours on type:
2214.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6754
Copilot / Total hours on type:
148
Circumstances:
Flight 705 was a scheduled international public transport flight from Karachi to Dhahran, Cairo, Geneva and London. No defects were reported by the crew at Dhahran. The flight departed Dhahran at 2122 hours W. It reported abeam Aqaba, 196 MM from the Cairo omni at 2313 hours, leaving FL 360 at 2322 hours, RD fix at 2330 hours and approaching Ft 130 and one minute away from the field at 2338 hours. The flight was then cleared dm to FL 65 and was given a QNH of 1 014 mb. It reported coming overhead at 2339 hours, passing FL 100 and was instructed to maintain FL 65. It then made a holding turn in the Cairo range pattern, descending to FL 65. On reporting overhead Cairo range station, after completing one holding at 2340 hours the flight was cleared to join left-hand circuit for runway 34 and to report downwind. The crew then informed the tower that they would carry out an instrument let-down and would call when commencing the procedure turn. The flight was then cleared to descend to FL 45 and was told to report procedure turn inbound descending to 2 500 ft. At 2345 hours the crew informed the tower that they were in a position for reporting downwind for runway 34 and, on being asked by the control tower about their intention, they requested a clearance to proceed downwind. During this period the aircraft continued on a southerly heading towards a downwind position for a left-hand circuit for runway 34. Cairo approach control then cleared the flight to descend to circuit height for final approach to runway 34 and to change over to tower frequency 118,1 Mc/s for landing, At 2345 hours the crew reported that they would be turning on final and changing to tower frequency. The flight was then cleared to continue approach and to report on short final. It was given weather information for landing and was asked whether it was turning on to final. At 2348:30 hours the crew acknowledged: "affirmative" and finally, at 2348~55 hours, a scratching noise was heard on the control tower receiver and nothing further was heard from the aircraft. Six passengers survived while 121 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
The aircraft did not maintain the adequate height for the circuit and continued to descend until it contacted the ground. The reason for that abnormal continuation of descent is unknown.
Final Report: