Pakistan International Airlines Pilot Lands on Wrong Runway

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is facing new safety concerns after one of its flights, PK150, landed on an unlit runway at Lahore Airport (LHE) on January 17, 2025. This incident adds to the airline’s ongoing operational challenges.

FlightRadar24 data shows that the flight departed from Dammam (DMM) at 11:30 PM UTC. After flying for about three hours, it diverted to Lahore.

Pakistan Airlines Pilots Blunder

A Pakistan Airlines flight, using an 11-year-old Airbus A320 (registration AP-BON), was headed to Multan but had to be diverted to Lahore due to heavy fog. Air traffic control directed the plane to land on runway 36R. However, the pilots mistakenly landed on runway 36L, which did not have its lights on at the time.

The airline management has grounded both the captain and first officer while an investigation is underway. This incident arises at a critical moment for PIA, which only recently regained approval from safety regulators to restart flights to Europe.

PIA has faced several operational issues in the past. These include controversial practices like sacrificing goats for good luck, instances of overcrowded flights, and pilots found to have fake licenses.

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilot is facing investigation for landing the plane on the wrong runway.

According to reports, the captain of flight PK 150, traveling from Dammam to Multan, accidentally landed on the wrong runway. Bad weather and heavy fog in Multan diverted the flight to Lahore Airport.

Instead of using the main runway, the plane landed on runway 36L, which had its lights turned off at the time.

As a result of the mistake, PIA has grounded both the captain and the first officer and launched an investigation into the incident. A PIA spokesperson confirmed that they have taken action against the crew and will take further steps after completing the inquiry.

Here are some similar incidents involving pilots landing on the wrong runway:

1. SriLankan Airlines Flight in Colombo (2019)
   A SriLankan Airlines flight attempted to land on a runway under maintenance at Bandaranaike International Airport. The quick response of air traffic controllers averted a disaster.
2. United Airlines Flight in Denver (2016)
   A United Airlines pilot mistakenly landed on a taxiway instead of the assigned runway at Denver International Airport. No injuries were reported, but the incident led to a detailed investigation.
3. Air Canada Flight in San Francisco (2017)
   An Air Canada flight nearly landed on a crowded taxiway at San Francisco International Airport instead of the designated runway. The error could have led to a major accident but was prevented in time.
4. Pakistan International Airlines Flight in Islamabad (2016)
   Another PIA flight mistakenly landed on an under-construction runway at Islamabad International Airport. Thankfully, no injuries occurred, but it raised concerns about procedural lapses.

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