KARACHI: A Pakistan Inter-national Airlines aircraft hit a parked plane during routine engine testing near a hangar at Karachi airport on Saturday.

The ATR aircraft was undergoing some repairs at the engineering hangar while the parked plane belonged to a private airline.

Official sources said the aircraft was towed from the hangar and its engines were switched on for testing. While it was moving towards the parking area, its brakes failed and the plane hit a non-functional and parked aircraft of the Shaheen International Airlines.

However, a PIA spokesperson said that during routine engine check-up the plane “slightly hit a salvaged skeleton of aircraft parked nearby” due to which its propeller got damaged. The PIA management did not cite any reason for the incident but said an inquiry had been launched to look into the episode.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2018