What happened
On November 26, 1979, Pakistan International Airlines operated a special Hajj pilgrimage flight designated as Flight 740. The aircraft, a Boeing 707, was tasked with transporting pilgrims from Kano, Nigeria, to Karachi, Pakistan, with a scheduled intermediate stop in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
During the takeoff roll at Jeddah International Airport, a fire broke out within the aircraft. The situation escalated rapidly, preventing the crew from achieving safe flight conditions. The plane crashed shortly after leaving the runway, leading to a catastrophic loss of life. All 156 people on board perished in the incident.
Investigation
The available records confirm that the Boeing 707 registration PK-ADE was involved in this tragedy. While specific technical details regarding the ignition source are not detailed in the provided summary, the event is categorized as a fatal accident occurring during the initial phase of flight from Jeddah.