Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight on 8 December 1972 operated by the Pakistan International Airlines that took off from Gilgit Airport in Gilgit, Pakistan, bound for Rawalpindi International Airport in Rawalpindi. The involved aircraft was a Fokker F-27. The aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain killing all people on board.

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631

A Pakistan International Airlines Fokker F-27 Friendship, similar to the one involved
Accident
Date	December 8, 1972 (1972-12-08)
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain
Site	Jalkot, Pakistan
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Fokker F-27 Friendship 600
Operator	Pakistan International Airlines
Registration	AP-AUS
Flight origin	Gilgit Airport
Destination	Benazir Bhutto International Airport
Passengers	22[1] or 28[2][3][4][5]
Crew	4[1] or 5[2][3][4][5]
Fatalities	26[1] or 32[2][3][4][5]
Survivors	0[1][6]

The crash took place on the same day as Ethiopian Airlines Flight 708 and United Air Lines Flight 553.^[6][5]

Flight, search and recovery

In the evening of 8 December 1972, the Pakistan International Airlines operated Fokker F-27 departed at 11:40am from Gilgit Airport in Gilgit, Pakistan bound for Rawalpindi International Airport in Rawalpindi where it was scheduled to arrive at 12:50pm.^[2][7] There were rainy conditions during the flight. The aircraft lost radio contact halfway after 125 miles with Rawalpindi.^[7]

After the aircraft didn't arrive during the evening of 8 December 1972, the airplane was reported missing by Pakistan International Airlines.^[2][5] A search operation was started with two C-130 transports and two helicopters. They were not able to find the aircraft and stopped when visibility became low, with ground searching continuing.^[7] There was hope the Fokker had made an emergency landing at Chilas,^[7] but the wreck was found the next day on Saturday 9 December.^[6] The aircraft had struck a snow-covered 9000 feet high mountain at the foot of the Himalayas near the village of Maidan around 8 miles south of Jalkot.^[8][6] All people on board were killed.^[1][6]

The bodies from the airplane were recovered by soldiers of the Pakistan Army.^[8]

Aircraft

The involved aircraft was a Pakistan International Airlines owned Fokker F-27 Friendship 600 with registration number AP-AUS and MSN 10314. The aircraft had made its first flight on 2 December 1966 and had since made 11077 total airframe hours and 16720 cycles.^[1]

Casualties

There is a difference between sources about the number of people onboard. Aviation Safety Networks lists 26 people (22 passengers and four crew members),^[1] newspaper sources list 33 people (28 passengers and five crew members).^{[3][6][2][4][5]} The News states it were at least 31 people.^[9] There were no survivors.^[1][6]

The five crew members consisted of two cockpit crew including captain Javedullah, two cabin crew and one air guard.^[7]