Boeing 737 accident near Islamabad, Pk, April 20, 2012
On April 20, 2012 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered APBKC, was destroyed in an accident near Islamabad (Islamabad Benazir Bhutto Int'L airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 127 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2012 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Islamabad, Pakistan · Islamabad Benazir Bhutto Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 127 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 200 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- APBKC · no longer on the register · serial 23167
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On April 20, 2012, at about 1840 local time, Bhoja Air flight BH0213, a Boeing 737-236, registration AP-BKC, crashed about 3.7 miles short of runway 30 during an approach to landing at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad, Pakistan. The flight originated from Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan. All 127 people on board were fatally injured, and the aircraft was destroyed. Heavy rain and thunderstorms were reported at the time of the accident. The Government of Pakistan is investigating the accident and has appointed an Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) along with investigators from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Pakistan Air Force. As the state of design and manufacture of the airplane and engines, the NTSB has designated a U.S. accredited representative to assist the Pakistan Government in their investigation under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. All inquiries should be directed to: Headquarters, Civil Aviation Authority Terminal-1, JIAP Karachi-75200 Pakistan E-mail: psib@caapakistan.com.pk
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Bhoja Air
The flight
- Runway 30
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 5 | |||
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 119 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.