Airblue’s flight ED 202 (Airbus A321, AP-BJB) crashed in Margalla Hills, Islamabad on 28 July 2010. Many questions have been raised about the crash and many theories have been floated by aviation experts, pilots, TV anchors, analysts and eye witnesses. According to many of these experts weather may have played a big role for the crash, but the most important question why the plain drifted off course? remains unanswered.

I have been following the crash and have gone through witnesses’ accounts, experts’ opinions and media reports and have arrived on to conclusion that human error coupled with poor visibility due to low clouds was the main reason for the crash.

The weather at Islamabad was rough with low clouds causing poor visibility. At the time of the arrival runway 12 was active. Initial investigation results suggest the airplane was flying too low in poor weather conditions and low visibility and incorrectly turned too late.

I think ED 202 connected to Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Benazir International Airport and approached runway 30, after completing the procedure and sighting the runway broke off towards the right as per Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) in order to complete visual circling approach towards runway 12. (Benazir International Airport features an ILS Category 1 for runway 30. Circling area has been assigned north of the aerodrome requiring left hand circuits for runway 12 and right hand circuits for runway 30. An ILS approach to runway 30 circling runway 12 required the aircraft to turn right (to the north) for the downwind and subsequently turn back onto final for runway 12.)

After braking off due to low clouds and low visibility ED 202 lost visual contact of the runway and the crew may have become disoriented. In this poor visibility the crew may have focused on 7th avenue as runway 12 and approached it for landing.

The radar had noticed the deviation and had warned the traffic controllers. Express TV reported that the pilot had received a warning that he was flying away from the runway. The pilot responded, “I can see the runway.” In a second exchange, the dispatcher advised, “Immediately turn left, Margalla are ahead,” referring to foothills of the Himalayas north of Islamabad. The pilot responded, “We can see it,”.

May be in poor visibility and disorientation the crew was taking 7th avenue as runway 12 and continued there descent for landing but after descending from low clouds realized that they were landing on the road, the pilot went on full throttle and tried to regain height to clear Margalla Hills but unfortunately it was too late and the plane smashed on the hills.

That’s why it was spotted by eyewitnesses flying unusually low, moments before the sound of the crash was heard.

Author: Bilal Ahmed

Bilal Ahmed is the Authour of Techpakora. He loves to know lattest info regarding telecom industry that is the reason for writting this Blog. If you like this article then post you valuable comments.You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Possible Cause of Crash of Airblue’s ED 202 (KHI-ISB)