RAWALPINDI: A plane of the Rawalpindi Flying Club crashed on the runway of Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Saturday morning injuring the instructor pilot and two under training pilots.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Director General retired Air Marshal Muhammad Yousaf directed Safety and Investigation Board of CAA to launch investigation into the matter.

A Cessna 172 aircraft of Rawalpindi Flying Club crashed at 9:45am while landing on the runway leaving all the three persons on board injured. The injured have been identified as Shehzada Hassam, Hammad Zafar and Mian Faraz.

Receiving information about the incident, CAA ambulances and other staff rushed to the scene and rescued those on board. Airport manager Ayaz Jadoon told Dawn that after losing its balance, the plane crashed on the left side of the runway however it didn’t catch fire. “Its cockpit and nose have been badly damaged,” he said.

He said the immediate response by CAA Fire and Safety Services prevented a fire to the aircraft and damage to property in the area.

“This aircraft fell down from a height of about 100 feet and it is fortunate that all three people on board are safe,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2014