PIA flight PK 150 from Dammam to Multan landed on an incorrect runway in Lahore. Captain and first officer grounded; investigation underway
Captain and first officer of PIA flight PK 150, from Dammam to Multan, have been grounded.
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilot is under scrutiny after landing an aircraft on the wrong runway.
Sources say the captain of flight PK 150, traveling from Dammam to Multan, mistakenly landed the plane on an incorrect runway, Express News reported.
The flight had initially been diverted to Lahore Airport due to poor weather conditions and fog in Multan.
Instead of landing on the main runway, the flight landed on runway 36L, where the runway lights were off at the time.
In response to the error, PIA’s management has grounded both the captain and first officer, initiating an investigation into the incident.
A PIA spokesperson confirmed that action has been initiated against the concerned pilot and first officer, with further steps to be taken once the inquiry is complete
The flight was operated by over 11-years-old Airbus A320, registered as AP-BON, and diverted to Lahore from its intended destination of Multan due to heavy fog conditions. Air traffic control cleared the aircraft to land on runway 36R, but the flight crew touched down on runway 36L, which had its lights deactivated at the time of the incident.
The airline management responded by grounding both the captain and first officer pending investigation. This incident comes at a particularly sensitive time for PIA, which recently received clearance from safety regulators to resume its European operations.
PIA’s operational challenges extend beyond this latest incident. The airline’s history includes controversial maintenance practices, such as the ritualistic sacrifice of goats, documented cases of passenger overcrowding, and the discovery of pilots operating with fraudulent licenses.
