Pamir Airways Flight 112
Encyclopedia
Pamir Airways Flight 112 was a scheduled passenger flight from Kunduz
to Kabul
in Afghanistan
that crashed on 17 May 2010.
, manufacturer's serial number (MSN) 27307903, registration YA-PIS. The aircraft first flew in 1972 and had been bought by Pamir Airways in February 2010, having spent some time in storage in Bulgaria
.
Reports stated that the plane crashed in Salang Pass, 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north of Kabul International Airport
,, at a speed of approximately 400 kilometres per hour (248.5 mph) When eventually located, the wreckage was only 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from Kabul.
The aircraft involved is believed to be an Antonov An-24
, which is the type of aircraft scheduled to perform the flight. The weather conditions were reported as poor, with a senior military commander describing the weather as "...very bad. It is snowing. There is flooding."
Initial reports that the wreckage of the aircraft had been located late on Tuesday evening (18 May) proved to be false, and the search continued late on Wednesday 19 May. Afghan police, local people and International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) helicopters were involved in the search. The rugged, mountainous terrain, fog and snow again hampered the search. On 20 May, it was announced that the tail section of the aircraft had been spotted.
On 21 May, the wreckage was reached by rescuers. "Parts of the crashed plane are lying in front of me. There are a number of bodies scattered around here," acting transport and civil aviation minister Mohammadullah Batash reported by telephone from the crash site, which is 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from Kabul. It had been thought that the Antonov 24 plane came down around 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north of the capital. "It is too soon to say that no one has survived. But so far we cannot see anyone alive and the situation here is extreme – cold, snow, wind" he said. ISAF said the crash site was located at an altitude of approximately 13500 feet (4,114.8 m) in the Shakardara District
of Kabul province.
reported that six foreigners, including three Britons, were also on board. One American passenger was reported by a State Department source. On 21 May, chief aviation investigator Ghulam Farooq reported an unknown number of nationals from Australia, Pakistan and Tajikistan were also among the eight foreign passengers aboard the plane. It was reported that up to three Australia
ns may have been on board. As of 22 May, the report remains unconfirmed.
Kunduz
Kunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
to Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
that crashed on 17 May 2010.
Flight history
The aircraft involved was an Antonov An-24Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
, manufacturer's serial number (MSN) 27307903, registration YA-PIS. The aircraft first flew in 1972 and had been bought by Pamir Airways in February 2010, having spent some time in storage in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
Flight
Flight 112 departed Kunduz at 8:30 am local time (UTC+4:30) and all contact with the flight was lost 10 minutes later. The flight had 39 passengers and 5 crew on board when it disappeared from radar.Reports stated that the plane crashed in Salang Pass, 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north of Kabul International Airport
Kabul International Airport
-Facilities:The airport has two terminal buildings, the modern for international flights and the Soviet built one for domestic flights. Several hangars along the runway are for military aircraft...
,, at a speed of approximately 400 kilometres per hour (248.5 mph) When eventually located, the wreckage was only 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from Kabul.
The aircraft involved is believed to be an Antonov An-24
Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
, which is the type of aircraft scheduled to perform the flight. The weather conditions were reported as poor, with a senior military commander describing the weather as "...very bad. It is snowing. There is flooding."
Rescue attempts
It was reported that the Afghanistan government had requested assistance from NATO. The organisation sent search planes to the last known position of the aircraft, but they were forced to turn back four miles from the believed crash site due to bad weather. The colonel in charge of the southern stretch of the pass said that "the only way they can search is on foot. The helicopters can't get in." The search for the aircraft resumed on the morning of 18 May, and the "crash area" was located later that day, according to Yalda Natiq, the transport ministry's head of communications.Initial reports that the wreckage of the aircraft had been located late on Tuesday evening (18 May) proved to be false, and the search continued late on Wednesday 19 May. Afghan police, local people and International Security Assistance Force
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
(ISAF) helicopters were involved in the search. The rugged, mountainous terrain, fog and snow again hampered the search. On 20 May, it was announced that the tail section of the aircraft had been spotted.
On 21 May, the wreckage was reached by rescuers. "Parts of the crashed plane are lying in front of me. There are a number of bodies scattered around here," acting transport and civil aviation minister Mohammadullah Batash reported by telephone from the crash site, which is 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from Kabul. It had been thought that the Antonov 24 plane came down around 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north of the capital. "It is too soon to say that no one has survived. But so far we cannot see anyone alive and the situation here is extreme – cold, snow, wind" he said. ISAF said the crash site was located at an altitude of approximately 13500 feet (4,114.8 m) in the Shakardara District
Shakardara District
Shakardara District is situated in the central part of Kabul Province, Afghanistan. It has a population of 63,000 people, with another 10,000 expected to return from abroad...
of Kabul province.
Passengers and crew
There were a number of Afghan nationals aboard the aircraft. The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
reported that six foreigners, including three Britons, were also on board. One American passenger was reported by a State Department source. On 21 May, chief aviation investigator Ghulam Farooq reported an unknown number of nationals from Australia, Pakistan and Tajikistan were also among the eight foreign passengers aboard the plane. It was reported that up to three Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
ns may have been on board. As of 22 May, the report remains unconfirmed.
| Nationality | Passengers | Crew | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan Afghan |
? | ? | 33 |
 United Kingdom British |
3 | - | 3 |
 Turkey Turkish |
3 | - | 3 |
 Tajikistan Tajikistani |
? | ? | 3 |
 United States American |
1 | - | 1 |
 Pakistan Pakistani |
1 | - | 1 |
| Total | 39 | 5 | 44 |
See also
- Kam Air Flight 904Kam Air Flight 904Kam Air Flight 904 was involved in a deadly aviation disaster over the Pamir mountains of Afghanistan in February 2005. The incident took place shortly after 4:00 p.m.local time on February 3, when a private Kam Air Boeing 737-200 jet aircraft went missing in Afghanistan during a domestic flight...
where the aircraft struck the peak of the Chaperi Mountain, 20 miles east of Kabul International AirportKabul International Airport-Facilities:The airport has two terminal buildings, the modern for international flights and the Soviet built one for domestic flights. Several hangars along the runway are for military aircraft...
.
External links
- "Latest News About PM1102(AN-24B)." Pamir Airways