Dhahran

The aircraft departed New Delhi-Indira Gandhi Airport at 1833LT on a flight to Jeddah with an intermediate stop in Dhahran, carrying 289 passengers and 23 crew members. After takeoff, the crew was instructed to climb to FL140 via route G452. Seven minutes after takeoff, while cruising at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the aircraft collided with a Kazakhstan Airlines (Kazair) Ilyushin II-76TD that was descending to New Delhi Airport. Registered UN-76435, it was completing flight KZA1907 from Shymkent with 27 passengers and 10 crew members on board. After the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located about 3 km Charkhi Dadri, some 80 km west of New Delhi-Indira Gandhi Airport. Both aircraft were destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 349 occupants in both aircraft were killed.

The four engine aircraft departed Ramstein AFB on a flight to Dhahran, carrying medical supplies, food and various equipment for US troops based in Saudi Arabia. Following a night takeoff from runway 27, while at a height of about 50-100 feet at a speed of 161 knots, the aircraft stopped climbing and started rolling to the left. The left wing struck pine trees, causing the engine n°1 to be torn off. Out of control, the airplane lost height and crashed in a wooded area located about one km past the runway end. Four occupants were seriously injured while 13 others were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed.

On final approach to Dhahran Airport, the twin engine aircraft lost height and crashed on the top of a hill located few km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.

While approaching Dhahran Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with sandstorm. Unable to locate the runway, the pilot initiated a go-around and followed a holding pattern. A second attempt to land was made few minutes later but again, the crew was forced to make a go-around due to poor visibility. During the third approach, the aircraft was too low and struck a sand dune located 5 km short of runway and crashed. All 11 occupants were killed.

Flight 705 was a scheduled international public transport flight from Karachi to Dhahran, Cairo, Geneva and London. No defects were reported by the crew at Dhahran. The flight departed Dhahran at 2122 hours W. It reported abeam Aqaba, 196 MM from the Cairo omni at 2313 hours, leaving FL 360 at 2322 hours, RD fix at 2330 hours and approaching Ft 130 and one minute away from the field at 2338 hours. The flight was then cleared dm to FL 65 and was given a QNH of 1 014 mb. It reported coming overhead at 2339 hours, passing FL 100 and was instructed to maintain FL 65. It then made a holding turn in the Cairo range pattern, descending to FL 65. On reporting overhead Cairo range station, after completing one holding at 2340 hours the flight was cleared to join left-hand circuit for runway 34 and to report downwind. The crew then informed the tower that they would carry out an instrument let-down and would call when commencing the procedure turn. The flight was then cleared to descend to FL 45 and was told to report procedure turn inbound descending to 2 500 ft. At 2345 hours the crew informed the tower that they were in a position for reporting downwind for runway 34 and, on being asked by the control tower about their intention, they requested a clearance to proceed downwind. During this period the aircraft continued on a southerly heading towards a downwind position for a left-hand circuit for runway 34. Cairo approach control then cleared the flight to descend to circuit height for final approach to runway 34 and to change over to tower frequency 118,1 Mc/s for landing, At 2345 hours the crew reported that they would be turning on final and changing to tower frequency. The flight was then cleared to continue approach and to report on short final. It was given weather information for landing and was asked whether it was turning on to final. At 2348:30 hours the crew acknowledged: "affirmative" and finally, at 2348~55 hours, a scratching noise was heard on the control tower receiver and nothing further was heard from the aircraft. Six passengers survived while 121 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed.

Flight ME 444 departed Beirut (BEY) at 17:09 UTC and climbed to its cruising altitude of FL300. At 19:04 the aircraft reported to Bahrain Control that it was estimating Dhahran (DHA) at 19:28, and was cleared to descend to reach FL50 over the Dhahran beacon. At 19:06 weather information was reported to flight 444, which read a NNE/10 knots wind, gusting to 16, and 0,5nm visibility (in a sandstorm). At 19:26 the pilot reported estimating the Dhahran NDB in two minutes. At 19:28 it contacted Dhahran and reported "5 000 feet descending" and was cleared for an ADF approach. The controller requested the crew to report at 4000 feet and outbound at 2000 feet. One minute later it reported leaving 4000 feet and at 19:30 passing 2500 feet and turning inbound. It was then cleared to final approach and requested to report reaching minimum and runway in sight. At approximately 19:32 a short loud transmission noise was recorded by the Tower. No further message was received from the flight. It was subsequently found that the aircraft struck the sea at the completion of the procedure turn 4 NM off shore and 10 NM south of Dhahran Airport. The investigation team concluded that there was no mechanical failure that could have caused the accident. Several theories were investigated, a.o. erroneous radio altimeter indications as a result of the sandstorm (these effects have been proven in tests done by Air France), but the team was not able to prove any of those theories.

The four engine aircraft crash landed at Dhahran Airport. All five crew members were uninjured but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from Charleston to Dhahran, carrying high ranking officers from the US, Pakistan and Iranian Army. The approach to Dhahran was completed by night and marginal weather conditions. Just past midnight, the aircraft struck the ground and crashed one km short of runway. Twelve occupants were killed while 26 others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed. At the time of the accident, there were scattered clouds with limited visibility. Six minutes prior to the accident, the visibility was estimated to three km with a northwest wind at 5 knots.

At least one crew member was killed when the aircraft crashed on takeoff for unknown reason at Dhahran Airport.