Boeing 707

Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

The airplane, owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) was completing a cargo flight from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on behalf of Saha Airlines, and was supposed to land at Payam Airport located southwest of Karaj, carrying a load of meat. On approach, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and the pilot mistakenly landed on runway 31L at Fath Airport instead of runway 30 at Payam Airport which is located 10 km northwest. After touchdown, control was lost and the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance (runway 31L is 1,140 meters long), overran and crashed in flames into several houses located past the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed by fire as well as few houses. The flight engineer was evacuated while 15 other occupants were killed.

Omega Air

On May 18, 2011, about 1727 Pacific daylight time, a modified Boeing 707, registration N707AR, operating as Omega Aerial Refueling Services (Omega) flight 70 crashed on takeoff from runway 21 at Point Mugu Naval Air Station, California (KNTD). The airplane collided with a marsh area to the left side beyond the departure end of the runway and was substantially damaged by postimpact fire. The three flight crewmembers sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under the provisions of a contract between Omega and the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide aerial refueling of Navy F/A-18s in offshore warning area airspace. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Omega, and the US Navy, the airplane was operating as a nonmilitary public aircraft under the provisions of 49 United States Code Sections 40102 and 40125. The accident flight crew consisted of a captain, first officer, and flight engineer who had flown with each other many times previously. The crewmembers reported conducting a normal preflight inspection. As the airplane taxied toward the runway, the reported wind was from 280º magnetic at 24 knots, gusting to 34 knots; the flight crew reported that the windsock showed very little change in the wind direction and a slight amount of gust. The crew had calculated a takeoff decision speed (V1) of 141 knots and a rotation speed (Vr) of 147 knots. The crew elected to add 5 knots to the rotation speed to compensate for the wind gusts and briefed a maximum power takeoff. The first officer, who was the pilot monitoring, stated that he advised the captain, who was the pilot flying, about advancing the power relatively smoothly to avoid a compressor stall with the crosswind, and the captain agreed. About 1723, air traffic control cleared the flight for takeoff from runway 21 and instructed the crew to turn left to a heading of 160º after departure. The captain applied takeoff thrust, and the first officer told investigators that, as the pilot in the right seat, he applied forward pressure on the yoke and right aileron input to compensate for the right crosswind. According to the crew, the takeoff roll was normal. At rotation speed, the captain rotated the airplane to an initial target pitch attitude of 11º airplane nose up. Shortly after liftoff, when the airplane was about 20 feet above the runway and about 7,000 feet down the runway, all three crewmembers heard a loud noise and observed the thrust lever for the No. 2 (left inboard) engine rapidly retard to the aft limit of the throttle quadrant. The captain stated that he applied full right rudder and near full right aileron to maintain directional control and level the wings, but the airplane continued to drift to the left. The captain reported that he perceived the airplane would not continue to climb and decided to “put it back on the ground.” Witnesses and a cell phone video from another Omega 707 crewmember observing the takeoff indicated that the No. 2 (left inboard) engine separated and traveled up above the left wing as the airplane was passing abeam taxiway A2. The inlet cowling for the No. 1 (left outboard) engine separated immediately thereafter, consistent with being struck by the No. 2 engine nacelle. The airplane began to descend with the remaining three engine power levers at maximum power, and the left wing dipped slightly (Pratt & Whitney indicated that loss of the inlet cowling on the No. 1 engine would increase drag, effectively resulting in less than zero thrust output). The captain said he lowered the nose and leveled the wings just as the airplane touched down on the runway between taxiway A2 and A1. The airplane made multiple contacts with the runway before drifting left and departing the runway surface before the airplane reached taxiway A1. The airplane crossed taxiway A and came to rest in the marsh area. According to the flight crewmembers, they observed flames in the cabin area and did not have time to perform an engine shutdown or evacuation checklist. The crew reported difficulty exiting the cockpit due to mud and debris blocking the cockpit door. All three crewmembers successfully evacuated through the left forward entrance via the escape slide.

AZZA Air Transport

The Aircraft was operating a flight from Sharjah International Airport, UAE to Khartoum International Airport, Sudan, with a total of six persons on board: three flight crew members (captain, co-pilot, and flight engineer), a ground engineer, and two load masters. All of the crew members sustained fatal injuries due to the high impact forces. Sometime after of liftoff, the core cowls of No. 4 engine separated and collapsed onto the departure runway, consequently No. 4 Engine Pressure Ratio (“EPR”) manifold flex line ruptured leading to erroneous reading on the EPR indicator. The crew interpreted the EPR reading as a failure of No. 4 engine; accordingly they declared engine loss and requested the tower to return to the Airport. The Aircraft went into a right turn, banked and continuously rolled to the right at a high rate, sunk, and impacted the ground with an approximately 90° right wing down attitude.

Safari Airlines

On final approach to Mombasa-Moi Airport, the aircraft was too low and collided with approach lights. The crew continued the approach and the aircraft landed safely. Few seconds later, while evacuating the runway to the taxiway, the right main gear collapsed. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Saha Airlines

Shortly after take off from Ahwaz Airport, while in initial climb, the engine n°2 suffered an uncontained failure. The crew informed ATC about the situation and was cleared for an immediate return. The aircraft landed safely 10 minutes later and was stopped on the main runway. All 174 occupants were rescued, among them two passengers were slightly injured. The aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair as n°1 engine and the left wing were also damaged due to debris from the n°2 engine's compressor.

Mahfooz Aviation

Following a night approach to Addis Ababa-Bole Airport, the aircraft landed hard and bounced several times. It lost its undercarriage, slid for few dozen metres then veered off runway to the left and came to rest. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Saha Airlines

Following an uneventful flight from Kish Island, the aircraft landed by night on runway 29L at Tehran-Mehrabad Airport. After touchdown, the aircraft encountered technical difficulties and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went down an embankment and came to rest in the Kan River canal located about 200 metres from the runway 11R threshold. All undercarriage as well as the engine n°3 were torn off. The aircraft was written off. Three passengers died while 50 others were injured.

Cargo Plus Aviation

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Addis Ababa to Lomé, Togo, with an intermediate stop in Entebbe, Uganda, carrying five crew members and a load of 32,8 tons of various goods (T-shirts) on behalf of Ethiopian Airlines. On approach to runway 17 in a 8 km visibility, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, while on a second attempt to land on runway 35, the crew encountered local patches of fog when, on short final, the aircraft crashed in Lake Victoria. The tail was found about 200 metres offshore while the cockpit was found near the shore. All five occupants were injured.

BETA Cargo - Brazilian Express Transportes Aéreos

Ready for takeoff on runway 10 at Manaus-Eduardo Gomes Airport, the crew released brakes and increased engine power when a loud noise was heard coming from the right side of the aircraft. The captain decided to reject takeoff and applied brakes when the aircraft started to deviate to the right. It veered off runway and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair after the right main gear punctured the wing.

Air Memphis

During a night takeoff from Cairo-Intl Airport runway 23L, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right and came to rest few hundred metres further with both right engines n°3 & 4 torn off. All seven occupants escaped uninjured.