Rawalpindi - Three persons got injured when an aircraft of Rawalpindi Flying Club fell down near the runaway of Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Saturday.
The aircraft was on training flight. As a result of accident, the instructor and two trainee pilots sustained injuries and were shifted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) for treatment, a spokesman of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informed. The injured are identified as Shahzada Hassam (instructor), Hammad Zafar and Mian Faraz, he added.
According to details, a Cessna aircraft of Rawalpindi Flying Club fell down suddenly while landing on the runway of Benazir Bhutto International Airport. Soon after getting information about the incident, CAA ambulances as well as high-ups and other staff rushed to the scene and conducted the rescue operation.
The doctors treating the injured stated that the condition of the injured persons was out of danger and they would be discharged soon.
An official of the CAA said that after losing balance, the plane crashed on left side of the runway; however, it didn’t catch fire. “Its cockpit and nose have damaged badly,” he said.
CAA spokesman Syed Mubarak Shah said in a statement that immediate response by CAA fire and safety services averted the possibility of any fire to the aircraft and to the property in the surroundings. This aircraft fell down from the height of about 100 feet and fortunately all the three occupants remained safe.
BBIA Manager Ayaz Jadoon, when contacted, said that it was Cessna aircraft owned by RFC and was on routine flight. He said rescue officials and ambulance reached the site immediately after the incident. “Fortunately, the aircraft didn’t catch fire due to which the three persons onboard were rescued safely,” he said. He said an investigation team will investigate why the plane crashed.
On the other hand, Air Marshal (Retd) Muhammad Yousaf, director general Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, constituted an investigation committee to probe into the cause of accident.