The Pakistan International Airline (PIA)'s ill-fated plane that crashed last week in Karachi, killing 97 people onboard, touched the runway ground three times before crashing.
According to media reports, Federal Minister for Civil Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan told the reporters on Thursday that the plane's engines touched the ground three times on the first attempt at landing. "The pilot never announced his landing gear wasn't opening. He haphazardly touched the engines thrice with the ground," Khan said.
The minister said that all the marks of plane’s touching the ground are present on the runway. “However, he [pilot] was not at the proper height. Control tower informed him you aren't at the required height, lower your altitude," he said, adding that the pilot replied, "I will manage."
Shortly after the engines scraped along the runway in the aborted first landing attempt, the pilot reported problems in maintaining altitude, then said both engines had failed.
The media reports suggest that the recorders will be read in France by the BEA air accident agency, which is part of the Pakistan-led probe. Meanwhile, the safety experts cautioned that it is too early to say what caused the crash.
According to media reports, Federal Minister for Civil Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan told the reporters on Thursday that the plane's engines touched the ground three times on the first attempt at landing. "The pilot never announced his landing gear wasn't opening. He haphazardly touched the engines thrice with the ground," Khan said.
The minister said that all the marks of plane’s touching the ground are present on the runway. “However, he [pilot] was not at the proper height. Control tower informed him you aren't at the required height, lower your altitude," he said, adding that the pilot replied, "I will manage."
Shortly after the engines scraped along the runway in the aborted first landing attempt, the pilot reported problems in maintaining altitude, then said both engines had failed.
The media reports suggest that the recorders will be read in France by the BEA air accident agency, which is part of the Pakistan-led probe. Meanwhile, the safety experts cautioned that it is too early to say what caused the crash.