---
title: "Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303"
year: 2020
canonical: "https://recap.at/2020/pakistan-international-airlines-flight-8303"
slug: "pakistan-international-airlines-flight-8303"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "2020-05-22"
---

# Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303

> On this day (05/22), 6 years ago: Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashes in Model Colony near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing 98 people.

On May 22, 2020, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashed while attempting to land in Karachi, killing 97 of the 99 people aboard plus one person on the ground. The Airbus A320 had declared a mayday after both engines failed during approach, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Pakistani history.

## Summary

On 22 May 2020, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303, a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Lahore to Karachi, crashed while on approach to Jinnah International Airport Karachi, killing 97 out of the 99 people on board as well as an additional person on the ground. The aircraft, an Airbus A320 with 91 passengers and 8 crew members on board, was on an unstable approach to Jinnah International Airport, with an excessively high airspeed and altitude. The aircraft subsequently belly landed nearly half-way down the airport runway before the flight crew conducted a go-around. During the go-around, both engines started to fail due to damage sustained during the belly landing. Whilst attempting to land back on the runway, the aircraft lost airspeed and crashed into buildings in Model Colony. All 8 crew members and 89 out of the 91 passengers on board were killed by the impact and post-crash fire. One person who was inside the buildings died ten days after the crash due to burn injuries.

## Key facts

- **Date**: May 22, 2020
- **Aircraft type**: Airbus A320-200
- **Route**: Lahore to Karachi
- **Passengers and crew**: 99 total
- **Deaths**: 98 (97 aboard, 1 on ground)
- **Survivors**: 1
- **Landing airport**: Jinnah International Airport, Karachi
- **Investigation lead**: French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA)

## Timeline

- **2020-05-22** - Mayday declaration
  Flight 8303 declares emergency after both engines fail during approach to Jinnah International Airport. Captain Sajjad Gul reports hydraulic failure.
- **2020-05-22** - Crash and casualties
  Aircraft crashes near Model Colony residential area in Karachi. 97 passengers and crew killed; one survivor, Muhammad Zubair, a banker in business class. Additional fatality reported on ground.
- **2020-05-23** - Investigation launched
  French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis (BEA) assumes lead investigative role per international aviation protocols.
- **2020-06-24** - Preliminary report released
  BEA publishes initial findings suggesting pilots were distracted and failed to properly respond to engine failure warnings before attempting emergency landing.
- **2021-09-30** - Final investigation report
  BEA concludes pilot error and lack of crew resource management contributed to crash. Report cites failure to execute proper procedures after engine failures.

## Impact

The crash exposed systemic failures in Pakistan's aviation oversight, including pilot fatigue protocols and maintenance standards. It prompted an international investigation by French authorities and led to scrutiny of Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority, ultimately resulting in tighter regulations for domestic carriers.

## Sources

- [Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_International_Airlines_Flight_8303) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/2020/pakistan-international-airlines-flight-8303