Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 631 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight on 8 December 1972 operated by the Pakistan International Airlines that took off from Gilgit Airport in Gilgit, Pakistan, bound for Rawalpindi International Airport in Rawalpindi. The involved aircraft was a Fokker F-27. The aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain killing all people on board.

The crash took place on the same day as Ethiopian Airlines Flight 708 and United Air Lines Flight 553.

Flight, search and recovery

In the evening of 8 December 1972, the Pakistan International Airlines operated Fokker F-27 departed at 11:40am from Gilgit Airport in Gilgit, Pakistan, bound for Rawalpindi International Airport in Rawalpindi where it was scheduled to arrive at 12:50pm. There were rainy conditions during the flight. The aircraft lost radio contact halfway after 125 miles with Rawalpindi.

After the aircraft did not arrive during the evening of 8 December 1972, the airplane was reported missing by Pakistan International Airlines. A search operation was started with two C-130 transports and two helicopters. They were not able to find the aircraft and stopped when visibility became low, with ground searching continuing. There was hope the Fokker had made an emergency landing at Chilas, but the wreck was found the next day on Saturday 9 December. The aircraft had struck a snow-covered 9000 feet high mountain at the foot of the Himalayas near the village of Maidan around 8 miles south of Jalkot. All people on board were killed.

The bodies from the airplane were recovered by soldiers of the Pakistan Army.