IAT Cargo Airlines - International Air Tours

Boeing 707

The aircraft departed Ostend Airport at 0328LT on a cargo flight to Lagos, carrying five crew members and a load of 35 tons of electronics. About 20 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 24,000 feet over the border between Brussels and Paris ARTCC, the crew informed ATC about severe turbulences. Few seconds later, he reported the loss of the engine n°3 that separated and elected to return to Ostend. After being cleared, the crew started a circuit and while descending to Ostend Airport, the hydraulic systems failed. The crew completed a holding pattern to burn fuel and was later cleared to land on runway 26. After touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, lost its undercarriage, slid for few dozen metres and eventually came to rest near the localizer antenna. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.