PIA A320-200 Returns to Karachi with Undercarriage Retraction Problem

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) A320-200 departing for Islamabad returned to Karachi when it was unable to retract landing gear after takeoff on 24 December

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A320-200 departing for Islamabad, Pakistan returned to Karachi with the landing gear problem on 24 December 2024.

Pakistan International Airlines flight PK300 had conducted a departure from runway 07R (JHI), Karachi. The aircraft was conducting a scheduled regional service to Islamabad International Airport (ISB).

PIA PK300 Karachi-Islamabad

Flight track of Pakistan International Airlines PIA flight PK300 showing return to Karachi.

Shortly after takeoff, flight crew reported that they were unable to retract the aircraft’s landing gear. As a result, the climb procedure was terminated and a direct return to the origin airport was requested.

The flight subsequently made a direct return and landed without further incident on runway 25L, approximately 20 minutes after its initial departure.

Due to the unserviceability, the airline mustered a replacement aircraft to conduct the onwards service to Islamabad.

Flight Details

Flight data shows that flight PK300 had made an on-time departure out of Jinnah International Airport. The time of departure was logged as 0652 local time on 24 December.

Following the departure from runway 07R, flight crew terminated the climb procedure at 7000 feet. A direct return to the origin airport was then carried out.

Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The aircraft conducting the PK300 regional service to Islamabad International Airport was an Airbus A320-200, registered AP-BLZ. This is an 18.2 year old narrowbody aircraft belonging to the carrier Pakistan International Airlines. It has been in operational service with the airline since September 2015.

Prior to its current service it was operated by AirAsia since its initial delivery from the factory in November 2006.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is the national flag carrier of Pakistan. It was founded in 1946 as Orient Airways and began international operations in 1955.

PIA has a fleet of 33 aircraft and operates an average of 100 flights daily to 25 domestic and 28 international destinations across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.