A Pakistan International Airlines flight from Lahore, with around 80 passengers and crew onboard, returned to base after its pilots failed to land at the IGI airport here due to navigational problems.
The PIA flight (PK-270) was scheduled to land at 2.40 PM but while making an approach to touch down, the pilots could
not align the Boeing 737 plane with the instrument landing system (ILS) which guides aircraft to land safely, airport
sources said.
The Pakistan airlines was not available for comments.
Failing to establish connection with the ILS, the air traffic control officer (ATCO) gave the headings (direction)
of the airport to the pilot but he once again failed.
The ATCO then tried to assist the pilot to land with the help of surveillance radar, giving him the direction of the
runway, but the pilot could not sight the runway despite the fact the runway visibility was quite good at 1,800 feet,” the sources said.
The pilot then went for “go-around”, but failed to land once again.
With so many failed attempts, the pilot then decided to return to Lahore, the sources said, adding it seemed there was
navigational problem with the aircraft.
The sources said no flight plan has been filed by the airline for now, which means the flight is unlikely to come
back today.
——————–PTI