Investigation Summary
The flight departed Jeddah at 01:29 local time. Approximately 18 minutes into the flight, as the aircraft reached its cruising altitude of 30,000 feet (FL300), a flight attendant reported a fire near the rear passenger door. The fire intensified with extreme speed, preventing the crew from successfully executing an emergency return. Investigators faced difficulties due to the lack of conclusive physical evidence, but the primary theory involves the use of portable stoves by pilgrims. At the time, it was not uncommon for passengers to carry small gasoline or kerosene stoves to prepare food. It is believed that the pressure differential during the climb and at cruise altitude caused a fuel leak from such a device, which then ignited.
Final Conclusions
The Saudi-led investigation concluded that the most probable cause was the ignition of leaking fuel from one or more portable stoves carried by passengers. The fire's rapid spread was likely fueled by the cabin's interior materials and the panic of passengers moving forward, which may have shifted the aircraft's center of gravity or allowed smoke to overwhelm the cockpit crew.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
captain
476 on the Boeing 707 and 720
first officer
Systems & Failure Modes
Aft Cabin Door Area
The location where the fire was first spotted by cabin crew.
Pressurization System
The pressure differential during climb is believed to have caused improperly sealed passenger stoves to leak fuel.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a 9-year-old Boeing 707 that had previously been leased to British Caledonian.
- 02Most of the 145 passengers were pilgrims returning from the Hajj in Mecca.
- 03The crash remains the third-deadliest aviation accident on Saudi Arabian soil.
- 04Debris from the impact was scattered over an area of approximately three miles.
- 05The investigation officially discounted sabotage and electrical failure due to lack of evidence.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Prohibition of Portable Stoves
Stricter enforcement and eventual total bans on carrying portable gas or kerosene stoves in passenger cabins were implemented, particularly on Hajj charter flights.
Cabin Material Flammability Standards
The accident contributed to the industry-wide push for more fire-resistant cabin materials and improved smoke evacuation procedures.
Location
ACCIDENT SITE · Coordinates taken from the wikidata coordinate.