Mid-air collision averted in Pakistan

[fatman17]

Mid-air collision averted in Pakistan

Indo-Asian News Service

Lahore, April 20, 2011

A mid-air collision between a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft and a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft was averted thanks to swift action from the passenger jet pilot who "put the throttles to full power, stopped descend and ascended to a safe height". The mid-air collision was averted last week with the two aircraft coming within 500 feet of each other, the Dawn daily reported on Wednesday.

PIA flight PK-370 took off from Karachi for Islamabad April 14.

At about 8.15 p.m., a PAF aircraft was cruising at 26,000 feet above sea level, a height which was soon to be attained by the passenger aircraft while descending towards Islamabad.

Sources said the ATC personnel gave the order to descend to the PIA flight and asked it to change frequency and get connected to Islamabad airfield controller.

While changing frequency, the PIA flight that had begun to descend came right at the height at which the PAF aircraft was cruising.

"The pilot in command, getting help from the technical gadgets, put the throttles to full power, stopped descend and ascended to a safe height avoiding a mid-air collision," a source was quoted as saying.

 

[Lankan Ranger]

PAF Boys should be on alert

 

[RazorMC]

Does that mean that the Tower wasn't monitoring the PAF aircraft ?
If this is the case then there has to be an inquiry and prosecute the staff involved for risking the lives of the passengers and the pilots (PIA + PAF).

BTW, there was news of an emergency helicopter landing in Sehwan. Click here to read the info.
There was another incident with another PK flight.

What's happening today ??

 

[Lankan Ranger]

Does that mean that the Tower wasn't monitoring the PAF aircraft ?
If this is the case then there has to be an inquiry and prosecute the staff involved for risking the lives of the passengers and the pilots (PIA + PAF).

BTW, there was news of an emergency helicopter landing in Sehwan. Click here to read the info.
There was another incident with another PK flight.

What's happening today ??

3 Incidents Today

 

[Lankan Ranger]

A plane carrying U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama had to abort landing after coming dangerously close to a military cargo plane at Andrews Air Force Base.

Plane carrying Michelle Obama aborts landing after mistake

 

[Last Hope]

What PAF aircraft was that ??
And I thought PAF was on alert in the Afghan side, and this report is of Lahore. What exactly was the PAF craft doing up there, around lets say, 23,000 feet? It would have been AWACS, needless to say, but I may sound stupid enought. Can you imagine a F-16 near colliding with a PIA ?? The radar of the F-16 have shown that. So it must be a huge craft.

As the report says, it was cruising. Cant be the IL-79, nor C-130. Nothing else but AWACS is in my eyes. Anyone having more details?

 

[fatman17]

military and civilian corridors are clearly demarcated - someone was at fault - anyway s*** happens! - thank God disaster was averted.

 

[Adnan Faruqi]

Mid-air collision averted in Pakistan

Indo-Asian News Service

Lahore, April 20, 2011

A mid-air collision between a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft and a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft was averted thanks to swift action from the passenger jet pilot who "put the throttles to full power, stopped descend and ascended to a safe height". The mid-air collision was averted last week with the two aircraft coming within 500 feet of each other, the Dawn daily reported on Wednesday.

PIA flight PK-370 took off from Karachi for Islamabad April 14.

At about 8.15 p.m., a PAF aircraft was cruising at 26,000 feet above sea level, a height which was soon to be attained by the passenger aircraft while descending towards Islamabad.

Sources said the ATC personnel gave the order to descend to the PIA flight and asked it to change frequency and get connected to Islamabad airfield controller.

While changing frequency, the PIA flight that had begun to descend came right at the height at which the PAF aircraft was cruising.

"The pilot in command, getting help from the technical gadgets, put the throttles to full power, stopped descend and ascended to a safe height avoiding a mid-air collision," a source was quoted as saying.

So its the passenger jet pilot who averted the clash. Good job.

BTW which type of Pakistan Air Force aircraft involve in this case??

 

[SQ8]

What PAF aircraft was that ??
And I thought PAF was on alert in the Afghan side, and this report is of Lahore. What exactly was the PAF craft doing up there, around lets say, 23,000 feet? It would have been AWACS, needless to say, but I may sound stupid enought. Can you imagine a F-16 near colliding with a PIA ?? The radar of the F-16 have shown that. So it must be a huge craft.

As the report says, it was cruising. Cant be the IL-79, nor C-130. Nothing else but AWACS is in my eyes. Anyone having more details?

It could very well be any aircraft.
The fault lies with ATC as well.. was the PAF aircraft instructed to change its altitude as well?.. did it confirm those?
Somethings we will never know.. unless it comes up on the usual grapevine.

 

[SBD-3]

here is my preception so as to why did this happened and why PIA pilot took the initiative

Sorry for some inconveniences in the pic, But since PIA AC was descending, it had PAF AC in its track. While PAF AC would know that there is a commercial airliner present, but he wasnt informed that it was descending coupled with the fact that PIA airliner was out of its radar's track. So in my opinion the communication lack between PAF AC and ATC was the main reason for confusion and it was the PIA pilot who was in position to do something rather than non informed PAF pilot

 

[Last Hope]

Well if it was a fighter jet, it could have avoided, due to it's better reflex turns. And it must be something huge, like i mentioned. Why would a JFT, F16 cruise over Lahore? And plus, you got the point. If it was a JFT, F16, it should have heavy/steady ground communication, and on PAF radars, they could easily see an unidentified AC diving towards the PAF AC?? What was wrong with ATC and communication? This could not only cause millions dollars, even billions damage, but take lives of many !!

Husnain, is that your picture?? Nice job, ill thank latter when from laptop.
You got a point, but won't two of this be in half a dozen screens of multiple radars?! What do you wanna say about that?

 

[JonAsad]

PAF aircraft was cruising cluelessly?- a huge passenger plane got within 500 feet at his 6- what is this?-

 

[TOPGUN]

What PAF aircraft was involved does anyone know? but thank GOD the worse didn't happen and lives were saved.

 

[Najam Khan]

Interesting incident..thank God ended up well....in the end its a good lesson on Flight Safety for both a/c crew and ATC.

Here are few mistakes done in this incident...first of all ATC must have ensured local altimeter pressure setting procedure ,ensuring the availability of fighter/transport aircraft flying in the flight path.

Secondly the minimum vertical separation must have been maintained between the a/c...which may have been lost when PIA a/c started to descend.

Pilots should be extra vigilant...staying alert and following standard operating procedure is the only key to safety!

 

[Mutee]

In my opinion it shud have been a bigger plane and not a fighter jet but then again im no expert