A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Karachi to Lahore made a successful landing despite one of its rear tyres missing, authorities disclosed. The incident involving flight PK-308, an Airbus A320, has triggered multiple investigations.
The aircraft completed its journey and landed at approximately 10 PM, with the missing tyre only being noticed after it had taxied to its designated spot at Lahore airport. Upon receiving the alert, Lahore Air Traffic Control notified Karachi authorities, who later discovered part of the tyre’s shaft on Karachi’s runway. Despite extensive searches at both airports, the missing tyre itself has not yet been located.
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Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft departed Karachi with all tyres intact. A PIA spokesperson suggested that the tyre may have been lost due to a “possible collision with a foreign object on the Karachi runway.” Despite the missing component, the landing and taxiing in Lahore were uneventful, with sources suggesting that the pilots were unaware of the issue during the flight.
PIA has dispatched a team to Lahore to thoroughly investigate the situation, while the Safety and Aviation Investigation departments have launched separate inquiries into the incident. Aviation experts point out that modern planes are designed with redundancy systems, allowing safe landings even with missing or damaged components.
The incident has prompted concerns about runway inspection procedures and pre-flight checks at Karachi airport. Details regarding the number of passengers on board and any alternative travel arrangements have yet to be released.
