Several hurt as PIA plane hits air pocket

[Abbas Ali]

By Mohammad Asghar

RAWALPINDI, Nov 21: An Islamabad-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight with 190 people aboard took a 1,000 feet plunge after hitting an air pocket over Lahore, causing minor injuries to several passengers and two of the 12 crew, the authorities said.

The non-stop flight PK-308, with 178 passengers and 12 crew aboard, was coming from Karachi.

After hitting the air pocket, the plane took a steep descent of 1,000 feet panicking the passengers.

“Some people were slightly hurt when PK-308 from Karachi to Islamabad got stuck in an air pocket, causing it to descend 1,000 feet,” airport manager Ishfaq Ahmed said.

The airline’s spokesman, Latif Ahmed, said that two of the crew, identified as Ghulam Muhammad and Raheem Dad, were injured. He said the plane got stuck in an air pocket while coming to Islamabad, however, the landing was normal and no damage was done to the plane.

Shortly after landing at Islamabad airport, engineers started inspecting the plane. An airport source told this reporter that as soon as the terrified passengers entered the domestic arrival lounge, the airport management received them.

However, one of the passengers, who was named as Tariq Nasrullah Malik, a senior official at PM Secretariat, reportedly snubbed the Civil Aviation Authority officials for treating the incident as normal, as several people had been hurt. Senators Mohammad Ali Brohi, Ahmed Ali and Asif Jatoi were also aboard the plane.

Source: DAWN

[SaadSaeed]

Ouch. This is exactly why i never take off my seat belt even in long haul flights.

[xuhair]

Oh, Cant beleive these good for nothing politicians. They have nothing to do, and now they will start plucking up CAA and PIA for 'Air Pockets'. God Save Our Country.

[mohammed younis]

can anyone describe an airpocket?

[SaadSaeed]

can anyone describe an airpocket?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_draft

[cheetah]

This is a coverup by PIA. The chairman was in touch with the Pilot, and instructed him to maintain the air pocket story. The truth is that the Auto pilot misbehaved and the pilots were a litle slow in reacting.

[bravo45]

'Air Pocket' is NOT a technical or meteorological term even though it can be found in some dictionaries. To the best of my knowledge, I read that it was first used in some old Hollywood movie.

[FULLTHRUST]

This is a coverup by PIA. The chairman was in touch with the Pilot, and instructed him to maintain the air pocket story. The truth is that the Auto pilot misbehaved and the pilots were a litle slow in reacting.

Could you please elaborate?

[FULLTHRUST]

can anyone describe an airpocket?

An Air Pocket is a patch of atmosphere in which the temperature of air goes up considereably leaving the density of air very thin, and when the aircraft passes through that patch, it goes down like a falling rock, because the lift required to maintain its altitude at a certain point in time is killed by that hot air.

This phenomeun is known as Temparature Inversion.

Glider pilots are always looking for these kind of Thermals (updrafts) in order to get lift (This is exactly OPPOSITE for bigger planes), and they glide for hours and hours.

The world record for powerless gliding waas set by Fossett in 2006 and that was surfing the Andean ‘mountain wave’ to a height of 50,699 feet (15,453 m) - while breaking the previous record by 1,662 ft (507m)

The temperature of air goes down 1.98 degrees C per thousand feet as you go up.

[Abbas Ali]

Does anyone know type of aircraft involved in this incident?

[samee380]

can anyone describe an airpocket?

An Air Pocket is a patch of atmosphere in which the temperature of air goes up considereably leaving the density of air very thin, and when the aircraft passes through that patch, it goes down like a falling rock, because the lift required to maintain its altitude at a certain point in time is killed by that hot air.

This phenomeun is known as Temparature Inversion.

Glider pilots are always looking for these kind of Thermals (updrafts) in order to get lift (This is exactly OPPOSITE for bigger planes), and they glide for hours and hours.

The world record for powerless gliding waas set by Fossett in 2006 and that was surfing the Andean ‘mountain wave’ to a height of 50,699 feet (15,453 m) - while breaking the previous record by 1,662 ft (507m)

The temperature of air goes down 1.98 degrees C per thousand feet as you go up.

Very interesting considering im going to be doing this next year at Oxford

Thanks

[samee380]

probably a B737-300???

[Abbas Ali]

probably a B737-300???

It cannot accommodate 190 people.

[FULLTHRUST]

AP-BDZ............... A310,

Pilot reported;

"During decsent out of FL220, in clear air aircraft went in a dive and crossed VMO".

(VMO is Velocity Maximum Operating)

[Abbas Ali]

Thank you FULLTHRUST for aircraft registration & info.

Abbas