Saudia Flight 162
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 HZ-AHJ, the aircraft involved in the accident, taken 4 months prior. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 23 December 1980[a] |
| Summary | Uncontrolled decompression |
| Site | Over the Gulf of Bahrain |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Lockheed L-1011 TriStar |
| Operator | Saudia |
| Registration | HZ-AHJ |
| Flight origin | Dhahran International Airport, Saudi Arabia |
| Destination | Karachi International Airport, Pakistan |
| Occupants | 291 |
| Passengers | 271 |
| Crew | 20 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Injuries | 7 |
| Survivors | 289 |
Saudia Flight 162 was a scheduled flight from Dhahran International Airport, Saudi Arabia, to Karachi International Airport, Pakistan, that suffered a high-altitude uncontrolled decompression above international waters off Qatar, killing two children who were among the 271 passengers.[2][3][1]
Aircraft[edit]
The accident aircraft was a Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar, registration HZ-AHJ (S/N 1161) was delivered to Saudia in 1979.[1][4][5]
Accident[edit]
There were three crew members in the flight deck. Captain Fouad Zaghaba, the First Officer, and the Flight Engineer were certified for the flight and had received adequate training.[2][6]
After takeoff, the aircraft was cleared to an altitude of 33,000 feet. As it climbed through 29,000 ft, one of its main wheel tires failed, exploding and creating a hole in the fuselage and cabin floor. An emergency descent was initiated, followed by a successful landing at Qatar's Doha International Airport. Two young passengers were killed when they were ejected through the hole in the cabin floor.[2][1]
Investigation[edit]
The probable cause of the accident was determined to be a fatigue failure of a flange on the hub of one of the main landing gear wheels. This failure had resulted in one of the tires blowing out. The debris from this explosion had penetrated the cabin of the airplane, causing the explosive decompression. B.F. Goodrich Co. and Lockheed were found to share responsibility for their failure to assess safety hazards associated with this particular wheel design. In addition, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was found to have had inadequate oversight of the manufacturers.[1]
Aftermath[edit]
The aircraft was repaired and returned to service with Saudia.[1] It was retired in 1999 and later scrapped.[7]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Ranter, Harro. "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ a b c ICAO Circular: Aircraft Accident Digest 1980 (No. 27) - Circular 178-AN/111. Montreal, Canada: International Civil Aviation Organization. 1984. pp. 156–175.
- ^ "2 children plunge to death as jet is torn open in flight". Baltimore Sun. 24 December 1980. p. A4.
- ^ "Lockheed L-1011 TriStar — MSN 1161 — HZ-AHJ Last Airline Saudia". www.airfleets.net. Airfleets aviation. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
- ^ "Lockheed L1011-1-15(200) HZ-AHJ". JetPhotos.Net. Archived from the original on 30 September 2003. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
- ^ "Author Mansor al-Assaf reveals the story of the historic Saudia logo and the first citizen to fly a Boeing airplane". Ajel (in Arabic). 18 February 2023.
- ^ "Registration Details For HZ-AHJ (Saudi Arabian Airlines) L-1011 Tristar-200". www.planelogger.com. PlaneLogger. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
External links[edit]