PIA teams recover cockpit voice recorder a week after devastating plane crash

E-Paper | April 26, 2026

PIA teams recover cockpit voice recorder a week after devastating plane crash

Dawn.com Published May 28, 2020

In the present case, the CVR is of more importance because it records all sounds, including pilots’ conversations, in the cockpit. — Photo courtesy PIA Twitter account

The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the ill-fated PK-8303, which crashed in Karachi last week, has been recovered from the debris, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Thursday.

The national carrier, in a tweet, said that PIA teams, aided by Airbus experts, had been searching "extensively" for the recorder, which will now be handed over to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

"This will be a key component in the Air Crash Investigation," the tweet read. "PIA teams were searching extensively for CVR aided by Airbus team."

Last week, the Airbus A-320 aircraft that had flown from Lahore, crashed into Model Colony, a residential area near the Karachi airport, after both its engines apparently failed. Only two people survived the devastating crash out of the 99 passengers and crew members on board. The remaining 97 were killed and DNA tests are underway to identify the victims.

The plane made failed attempts to land at the Karachi airport before the crash. Authorities had recovered the flight data recorder (FDR) of the ill-fated aircraft on the day of the crash, but could not find the CVR.

Both FDR and CVR are the two key components of the ‘black box’ of an aircraft. In the present case, the CVR is of more importance because it records all sounds, including pilots’ conversations, in the cockpit.

PIA and AAIB teams along with an 11-member team of Airbus experts and engineers have been scouring the site of the crash for the past three days in order to collect evidence which would help determine the cause of the crash.

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ABCD

May 28, 2020 04:18pm

Well done IK, you made it possible to find this thing.

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Moiz

May 28, 2020 04:22pm

PALPA pilots should be able to decode conversation. Saeed Ghani should lead the investigation. Bilawal should announce the investigation report.

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blunt

May 28, 2020 04:24pm

who will ensure that the recorder has not been tempered with during the one week since it lost?

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

May 28, 2020 04:31pm

Too little, too late.

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Brownman

May 28, 2020 04:35pm

Was it recovered or produced?

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ON .

May 28, 2020 04:54pm

Just 1 week to recover black box. Kudos

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Moeazze

May 28, 2020 05:04pm

Good news to complete the investigation. The key to this investigation is to find why and how the first landing failed that resulted in engine damage and subsequent engine failures leading to crash.

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LgbtqX

May 28, 2020 05:15pm

Airbus people knew exactly where it located.

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pashto

May 28, 2020 05:30pm

Change the culture, being in the consequences of not adhering to protocols (as happened in this case)

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Rabia

May 28, 2020 05:35pm

@ABCD, what on earth did IK do??

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M. Saeed

May 28, 2020 05:39pm

It is another proof of the highly unprofessional and ill trained staff of PIA. All flight recorders have inbuilt devices to relay wireless indication signals to locate the flight recorders, even from deep sea. This plane had crashed within the populated area and still it needed the people from the manufacturers of the plane to come and find the recorders.

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Reader

May 28, 2020 05:42pm

@blunt, tampered not tempered.

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Syed Razi Uddin

May 28, 2020 05:46pm

@blunt, It is property of Air Bus, who can only open it and decode its contents. Its not USB of your laptop or memory card of mobile. Dont stress yourself. And it can only keep a record of around last 30-40 minutes of recording prior to crash, in an encrypted format.

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Reader

May 28, 2020 05:57pm

Is there no audio visual tape recordings of all the actions the pilot and the co-pilots actions take, i.e. when was the landing gear lever actuated, recordings of all readings and timings of all gauges, meters, if not then I think this should be introduced. all commercial air crafts should have audio visual cameras in the cockpit to record all actions and sound from any source in the cockpit throughout the whole flight, on the sides of the seats, on the ceiling, at floor level to record leg movement on the pedals. both left hand and right hand movements of both the pilot and co-pilot should be recorded with precise timings, if this is not a standard feature in all air crafts, then it is indeed most surprising, cameras should be located also on the instrument panel in front, to record the facial expressions of both pilot and co-pilot, this will clear a lot of ambiguities which investigators are faced with after a accident.

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Syed A. Mateen

May 28, 2020 06:16pm

It is good to know that Cockpit Voice Recorder is found after seven days from debris of crashed aircraft. It will be very much helpful in derterming as what were technical problems that resulted in crash of flight PK-8303 at Karachi. After listening conversation of pilot with Air Traffic Control in an eleven minutes video clip (which shows boarding of passengers and take-off from Lahore Airport) has been released by someone and it has gone viral on social media. Apparently, it seems that there was malfunctioning in the landing gear and wheels were not opened at the rght time, after which continuous sound of beep was heard, which was not only ignored by the pilot, but pilot also did not discussed and communicated the issue with Air Traffic Control. The pilot attempted to land in first attempt through belly of aircraft during which both engines were badly damaged, before the aircraft again went in air for "go-around" to make a second attempt of landing during which aircraft crashed.

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IMRAN

May 28, 2020 06:25pm

I think this voice recorder is tempered with. Both FOR and CAR are equipped with radio signals which helps their recovery. These can be recovered even at great depths underwater and the batteries can last up to 30 days for transmitting the radio signals.

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Haq

May 28, 2020 06:30pm

There is an urgent need of forensic detailed report of PIA done on the same lines as sugar report. No doubt there are deficiencies and according to some sources gross incompetence right from the top to bottom.Its gone too far, how once a fine airline has been banned in first world. Inaptitude, incompetence ,greed, corruption, political appointments, lack of national pride are factors for its mess. Heads should roll ,PIA should reborn if not dissolved. Loss of innocent lives is inexcusable.

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bhaRAT©

May 28, 2020 06:39pm

@LgbtqX, And they came to tell you this all the way where you live???

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Reader

May 28, 2020 07:01pm

@Haq, Pakistan should ask a private party/ies or a foreign country to run the national carrier under a new name. The terms of reference should be efficiency, competence, with no interference in its running. There are many airlines which serve as a good example, in fact the national airline was a good example many years ago, all that has gone, we have to recognize this issue and face up to the reality, we are losing precious lives, and millions just to provide jobs ..

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Arij

May 28, 2020 07:18pm

@blunt, cannot be tampered with

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maan

May 28, 2020 07:28pm

Everyone was medicine scientist earlier and now an aeronautical engineer.

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Hasnain

May 28, 2020 07:33pm

@blunt, Only Airbus can decode it.

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khurshid Azam

May 28, 2020 07:54pm

Now you guys can make suitable changes.

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Rashid khan

May 28, 2020 07:55pm

What a great achievement this is. Congratulations

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Baazigar

May 28, 2020 08:24pm

@Reader, Top of it appoint a white elephant.

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AZAM AKBAR

May 28, 2020 08:45pm

@Reader, Mr. Reader, PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills, Pakistan Television, Port Qasim, etc., are a big burden on the taxpayers because of the corrupt and criminal PPP, PML-N and their associates for decades. Alas. Let these privatise - the only solution.

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ARK

May 28, 2020 09:12pm

I hope they can hand it over to Airbus team as PIA and government cannot be trusted.

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Dr. Q USA

May 28, 2020 11:09pm

Big accomplishment

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Sami

May 29, 2020 12:49am

@blunt, "who will ensure that the recorder has not been tempered with during the one week since it lost" No more conspiracy theories please! Both the Flight Data and Voice recorders are very securely encrypted.

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Sami

May 29, 2020 12:51am

@IMRAN, "I think this voice recorder is tempered with. Both FOR and CAR are equipped with radio signals which helps their recovery. These can be recovered even at great depths underwater and the batteries can last up to 30 days for transmitting the radio signals" Enough! FYI (for your information) the "signals" or beacon is only activated if the FDR or the CVR is underwater.

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N. Rahim, Canada

May 29, 2020 01:10am

@blunt, These devices are tamper proof and has tamper evidence materials.

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Asad

May 29, 2020 03:21am

@Brownman, That's the million $ question, my friend. What PIA and the country as a whole does not seem to recognize is that if we did not get to the root cause then it may be repeated. By now all indications are that it was pilot fault. Faults and accidents happen but we must understand what exactly lead to the accident so we can learn and stop it from happening again.

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May 29, 2020 03:59am

Well done. Goras came over and found the box in a day. Vow how pathetic are we?

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yamin

May 29, 2020 04:43am

@blunt, ---------Legitimate observation. Cover up and tempering is a manice ,way beyond in our corrupt society and systems. Beware.!!??

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yamin

May 29, 2020 04:45am

@Brownman, --------Strong Possibility.

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yamin

May 29, 2020 04:49am

@M. Saeed, -----Do realize the difference of deep sea immersion and charred and engulfed in Flames. Fire melts ,Sea /water does not.??

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yamin

May 29, 2020 04:53am

@Reader, -------Excellent food for thought for airline designers.

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Saleem

May 29, 2020 05:15am

Just as PIA cant have its representative in the inquiry board PALPA cant be part of the committee because its late member is person of interest. No where in developed countries representatives of concerned parties can be part of investigations. If PALPA is insisting and trying to make findings controversial then that could be because available information so far is not favorable for PALPA

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