New Delhi – Karachi – London – New York

On August 4, 1983 at 04:38 AM, New Delhi – Karachi – London – New York experienced a crash involving Boeing 747-100, operated by Pan American World Airways - PAA, with the event recorded near Karachi-Muhammad Ali Jinnah-Quaid-e-Azam Sindh (<U+0633><U+0646><U+068C> <U+0633><U+0646><U+062F><U+06BE>).

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

243 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 243 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 16, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 227, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Flight PA073 was cleared to land on runway 25R of Karachi International Airport (KHI), Pakistan. The approach speed just prior to touchdown was 152 knots. After touchdown reverse thrust was applied on engines n°1, 2 and 3. Engine No.4 which had an unserviceable reverser was left in forward idle. Seventy knots was called and some three seconds later reverse power was decreased. At this stage EPR on n°4 engine increased rapidly. The aircraft veered to the left of the centerline at about 7400 feet from the approach end of runway 25R and departed the runway edge at 8000 feet from the approach end of runway 25R with 2,500 feet of runway remaining. Shortly before the aircraft departed the runway, the pilot flying (copilot) reported that he had no brakes and no nose wheel steering. The captain stated that he got on the brakes and tiller at this time to assist. After departing the runway surface the aircraft travelled 380 feet through soft mud before it came to rest at a point about 2100 feet from the end of runway 25R, heading about 160 degrees on the Southern side of the runway with the tail of the aircraft 120 feet from the runway edge. Shortly after the aircraft departed the runway, the nose gear struck a VASI light installation and its concrete base causing the nose gear to collapse backwards and to the left, resulting in total destruction of the VASI light installation and damage to the forward cargo hold, floor of the first class section and the stairway leading to the upper deck. Damage to the aircraft was substantial and it was not repaired. All 243 occupants evacuated safely. Source: ASN

Aircraft reference details include registration N738PA, MSN 19645, year of manufacture 1970.