Human error blamed for Pakistan plane crash

A plane crash which killed 97 people in Pakistan last month was because of human error by the pilots, who were discussing the coronavirus crisis during the landing, according to an initial report released yesterday. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crashed into a crowded residential area on May 22 after both engines failed as it approached Karachi airport, killing all but two people on board. The report found the plane was flying at more than twice the altitude it should have been when it approached the runway without the landing gear down. Standard flight operating procedures were then ignored by the pilots and the air traffic controller, resulting in an aborted landing that heavily damaged the plane's engines. The aircraft went down as it attempted a second landing.