On July 14, 1990, a Boeing 707 (registration ST-ALK) operated by Trans Arabian Air Transport - TAAT was involved in an aviation accident near Khartoum, Sudan during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The nose landing gear failed upon touchdown for reasons that have not been identified. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft experienced a nose gear failure upon touchdown, resulting in significant structural damage and engine destruction.
What happened
During the landing phase of the flight, the aircraft's nose landing gear failed immediately upon contact with the runway. This collapse caused the front of the plane to strike the ground, leading to substantial damage to both the second and fourth engines. Following the impact, the aircraft continued to slide along the surface for several dozen meters before the motion ceased.
There were no injuries reported among the five crew members on board, all of whom were able to evacuate the wreckage safely. However, the structural damage sustained during the incident was so extensive that the aircraft was declared a total loss and deemed beyond repair.
Findings
The primary factor in the accident was the collapse of the nose gear during the touchdown sequence.
The specific mechanical reason for the landing gear failure remains undetermined.
Probable cause
The nose landing gear failed upon touchdown for reasons that have not been identified.
