Airblue Airbus A321-231 plane crash
Islamabad, Pakistan
Updated on
The AirBlue Airbus A321-200 was performing a passenger flight from Karachi, Pakistan to Islamabad, Pakistan with 146 passengers and 6 crew. The plane was on approach to Islamabad in poor weather conditions when the airplane impacted the terrain. All the 152 occupants of the airplane perished in the crash.
Monsoon rain and low visibility were prevailing during the Airbus A321 approach on Islamabad airport. The airplane had first approached the airport from the Southeast (suggesting an approach on runway 30), and ended by a go-around. The crew was about to try a second attempt from the Northwest (suggesting an approach on runway 12). While repositioning for the second approach the airplane impacted the Margalla Hills. The location of the impact is about 10 NM (18 km) North of the airport at a height of about 1000 feet (300 meters) above the airport.
At the time of the arrival runway 12 was active. The airplane was performing an ILS approach to runway 30 circling runway 12. Initial investigation results suggest the airplane was flying too low in poor weather conditions and low visibility and incorrectly turned too late.
