Date:	Monday 13 December 2021
Time:
Type:	Airbus A321-211 (WL)
Owner/operator:	AirBlue
Registration:	AP-BMW
MSN:	7171
Year of manufacture:	2016
Engine model:	CFMI CFM56-5B3/P
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	near Peshawar VOR -   Pakistan
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Dubai Airport (DXB/OMDB)
Destination airport:	Peshawar-Bacha Khan International Airport (PEW/OPPS)
Investigating agency:	BASI Pakistan
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AirBlue flight PA611, an Airbus A321-211, was involved in a serious airprox incident with a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) PAC JF-17 Thunder at Peshawar.

Peshawar is a joint civil/military airport. Once ABQ611 came in contact with Peshawar Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower, the controller asked ABQ611 to maintain FL160 and hold over Peshawar VOR for 20 minutes due to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) traffic at FL140 on recovery.
After joining the hold over Peshawar VOR, ABQ611 reported Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) – Resolution Advisory (RA). ABQ611 climbed to FL175 and reported clear of conflict. Upon query by ABQ611 about the traffic, the controller confirmed the presence of PAF military aircraft.
Subsequently, ABQ611 reported 6 military aircraft operating overhead Peshawar VOR with one formation of military aircraft operating at FL180. ABQ611 requested further climb to attain separation from the military formation operating at FL180 in response to which the controller cleared ABQ611 to descend FL160 as it was vacant at that time.

While descending from FL175 to FL160, ABQ611 reported a formation 500 feet higher with which it had had a TCAS – RA. The formation was 2 x JF-17 aircraft that were cleared from FL140 to FL160 and further to FL180 which resulted in activation of RA and multiple Traffic Advisories (TAs) for ABQ611.
Later on, ABQ611 was cleared for a VOR/DME approach and landed safely at Peshawar.

Cause
1. Lack of coordination by the Military Aerodrome Controller, who changed the altitude of the fighter aircraft without communicating with Military Supervisor and Civil Controller, resulting in the activation of TCAS-RA.

Contributory Factors
1. Lack of situational awareness by Military Supervisor and Military Aerodrome Controller.
2. Lack of information sharing between Military Aerodrome Controller with Civil Controller.

OPPS 130500Z 360/04KT 4000 HZ SCT200 10/02 Q1021 NOSIG=

BASI Pakistan

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


22 February 2018	AP-BMW	AirBlue	0	near Peshawar		non
Near miss
30 August 2022	AP-BMW	Airblue	0	Karachi Airport		non
Engine failure

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
19-Sep-2025 18:12	ASN	Added