Boeing 720

Operator:

Registration:

AP-AXK

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Karachi-Muhammad Ali Jinnah-Quaid-e-Azam

Schedule:

Karachi - Quetta

MSN:

48590/339

YOM:

1963

Flight number:

PK320

Location:

Sindh (سنڌ سندھ)

Country:

Pakistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Quetta, the crew was unable to lower the nose gear that remained stuck in its wheel well. The captain initiated a go-around and decided to return to Karachi Intl Airport. Despite several manual attempts to lower the gear, the crew eventually decided to land in a nose gear-up configuration. Upon touchdown, the airplane slid on its nose for few hundred yards before coming to rest. All 79 occupants escaped without injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of the nose gear that remained stuck in its wheel well for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Boeing 720-059B in Quito

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-725

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City)

MSN:

18087/249

YOM:

1961

Location:

Pichincha

Country:

Ecuador

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing at Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its nose gear and came to a halt about 70 meters past the runway end. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed at an excessive speed of 143 knots instead of the requested 123 knots according to actual flight conditions. The touchdown point was 300 meters past the runway threshold and the crew failed to activate the emergency brakes.

Crash of a Boeing 720-047B in Mexico City

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1976

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-723

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mexico City-Benito Juarez

Schedule:

Bogotá - Mexico City

MSN:

18061/197

YOM:

1961

Location:

Federal District of Mexico City

Country:

Mexico

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

121

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the last segment on final approach to Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport, while passing over the runway threshold, the four engine airplane entered an area of heavy rain falls. The pilot-in-command apparently lost visual contact with the runway and decided to initiate a go-around manoeuvre when the airplane stalled, nosed down and struck the runway surface nose gear first. Upon impact, the nose gear was torn off and the airplane slid for several metres before coming to rest. All 127 occupants were evacuated safely.

Ground explosion of a Boeing 720-047B in Beirut: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1976

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

OD-AGE

Flight Phase:

Parking

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Amman - Beirut

MSN:

18963/433

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After all passengers disembarked at Beirut International Airport following a schedule service from Amman, the airplane was apparently struck by a mortar shell and exploded. A crew member was killed while two others were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Damaged beyond repair by a mortar shell.

Crash of a Boeing 720-022 in Barranquilla

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1976

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

US Global of Florida

Registration:

N37777

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Barranquilla-Ernesto Cortissoz (ex Soledad)

Schedule:

Bogotá – Barranquilla – Miami

MSN:

18044/178

YOM:

1960

Location:

Atlántico

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was completing a cargo flight from Bogotá to Miami with an intermediate stop in Barranquilla, carrying four crew members and a load of 19 tons of flowers. On approach to Barranquilla-Soledad Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility and the captain requested ATC to increase the intensity of the runway lights. Shortly later, while too low, the airplane struck obstacles and crashed in flames short of runway 04. All four occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was destroyed. For unknown reason, the crew was approaching below the glide.

Crash of a Boeing 720-023B near Al Qaysumah: 82 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1976 at 0530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

OD-AFT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Beirut - Dubai - Muscat

MSN:

18020/165

YOM:

1960

Flight number:

ME438

Location:

Al Qaysumah

ash-Sharqīyah (الشرقية‎)

Country:

Saudi Arabia

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on its way from Beirut to Dubai, cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet by night when it disappeared from radar screens at 0530LT. The crew was unable to send any distress call. The wreckage was later found about 37 km northwest of Al Qaysumah, in the Saudi desert. Debris scattered on a wide area and none of the 82 occupants survived the crash.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the accident was the consequence of the explosion of a bomb that has been placed in the front cargo compartment. The detonation at high altitude caused an explosive decompression of the cabin and the total disintegration of the airplane.

Crash of a Boeing 720-025 in Copenhagen

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

OY-DSR

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

18243/254

YOM:

1961

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon touchdown, the left main gear collapsed. The aircraft slid for several dozen meters before coming to rest. There were no injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left main gear upon touchdown following a probable hard landing.

Crash of a Boeing 720-047B in Ontario: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1971 at 0633 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N3166

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Los Angeles - Ontario

MSN:

19439/621

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

WA366

Location:

Ontario

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

19714

Captain / Total hours on type:

3780.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

15767

Copilot / Total hours on type:

3840

Aircraft flight hours:

11521

Aircraft flight cycles:

7011

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a training flight from Los Angeles to Ontario. The pilot under supervision was supposed to complete an ILS approach with one engine inoperative, to make a missed approach and a go-around procedure. On final to runway 25R, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a field. The airplane was totally destroyed and all five crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The failure of the aircraft rudder hydraulic actuator support fitting. The failure of the fitting resulted in the inapparent loss of left rudder control which, under the conditions of the flight, precluded the pilots’ ability to maintain directional control during a simulated engine-out missed-approach. The existing weather conditions degraded external visual cues, thereby hampering rapid assessment of aircraft performance by the flight check captain.

Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 720-060B in Beirut

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1968 at 1833 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

ET-AAG

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: