PIA Plane crash: Decision to include psychiatrists in investigation team

Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan confirmed that it was decided to include medical experts and psychiatrists in the team investigating the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-8303, which crashed in a residential area near Karachi Airport.

According to the details, Medical experts and psychiatrists joining the investigation team will review the history of the medical and psychological condition of the pilot of the crashed aircraft, while team will also collect the information from the pilot’s family.

Note that on May 22, a PIA flight from Lahore to Karachi crashed into a residential area just a few hundred meters from the runway, killing 97 people, including eight crew members. While 2 passengers were miraculously saved.

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It may be recalled that after the accident, the federal government had constituted a four-member team to investigate under Rule 273 of the Civil Aviation Rules 1994.

The team is led by Air Commodore Muhammad Usman Ghani, President, Aircraft Accident and Investigation Board, while other members of the team include AAIB Additional Director, Technical Investigation Wing Commander, Malik Muhammad Imran,Capt. Tauqeer, Investigator Group, Pakistan Air Force Safety Board and Nasir Majeed, Joint Director, ATC.

In addition, a special team of experts from the aircraft manufacturer Airbus is also present in Pakistan, which is investigating with the officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AIIB) to find out the cause of the accident.

Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan confirmed the involvement of doctors in the investigation team.

Read more: Voice recorder of crashed PIA Airbus 320 found after 7 days

He said that details would be obtained from the pilot’s family that the martyred pilot had not suffered any mental stress in the last 24 hours.

The investigation team informed the medical and psychiatrists about the inclusion in the team while also seeking medical history of the pilot and control tower staff.

Note that an 11-member team of Airbus, the maker of A320 aircraft, arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday to assist investigators in the investigation of the PK-8303 crash.

In connection with the investigation, the Airbus investigation team visited the crash site for three consecutive days and collected evidence there, while also inspecting the runway and airport premises.

Also read: PIA Plane Crash: 20 houses, 24 vehicles destroyed, survey report

More evidence was gathered from the wreckage transported from the crash site to the airport, and special briefings were given to foreign experts at the Civil Aviation (CAA) Headquarters and PIA Head Office.

Investigations are underway by domestic and foreign teams, cockpit voice recorder of the plane was found under the wreckage six days after the crash.

PIA has a total of 32 aircraft, including 12 Boeing 777s, 11 Airbuses and the rest ATRs and the aviation sources had said about the plane that crashed in Karachi that it was in good condition in the fleet of A320.