PIA Flight 268 facts for kids
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 was a sad event that happened on September 28, 1992. A plane from Pakistan International Airlines was flying towards Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal. It had started its journey from Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan. Sadly, the plane crashed into a mountain near Kathmandu. All 167 people on board, including passengers and crew, lost their lives. This was the worst plane crash in Nepal's history.
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The Flight and the Aircraft
The flight was carrying people from many different countries, traveling to Nepal. The aircraft involved was an Airbus A300, a large passenger plane. It was a routine flight until the final moments of its journey.
What Happened?
As the plane was getting ready to land in Kathmandu, it was flying at a lower altitude than it should have been. The airport in Kathmandu is surrounded by mountains, and planes need to follow specific paths to land safely. The flight crew made a mistake and flew too low, causing the plane to hit a mountain. This type of accident, where a plane crashes into the ground or a mountain while the pilots are still in control, is called "controlled flight into terrain" (CFIT).
People on Board
There were 167 people on the plane. This included 155 passengers and 12 crew members. They came from many different countries around the world. The table below shows how many people were from each country.
| Final tally of passenger nationalities | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Passengers | Crew | Total |
 Australia |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Bangladesh |
4 | 0 | 4 |
 Belgium |
5 | 0 | 5 |
 Canada |
4 | 0 | 4 |
 Finland |
5 | 0 | 5 |
 France |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Germany |
4 | 0 | 4 |
 Israel |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Italy |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Japan |
7 | 0 | 7 |
 South Korea |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Mexico |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Netherlands |
4 | 0 | 4 |
 Nepal |
104 | 0 | 104 |
 New Zealand |
2 | 0 | 2 |
 Pakistan |
18 | 12 | 30 |
 Spain |
3 | 0 | 3 |
 Switzerland |
1 | 0 | 1 |
 Thailand |
5 | 0 | 5 |
 United Kingdom |
6 | 0 | 6 |
 United States |
10 | 0 | 10 |
| Total | 155 | 12 | 167 |
After the Accident
The crash of Flight 268 was a very sad day for Nepal and for the families of everyone on board. Investigations into such accidents help aviation experts learn what went wrong. This helps them make air travel safer for everyone in the future.
Images for kids
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The aircraft involved in the accident seen at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport in February 1992
See also
In Spanish: Vuelo 268 de PIA para niños
