What happened
During an approach to Dhahran Airport, the flight crew encountered heavy sandstorm conditions that significantly reduced visibility. The initial attempt to land was unsuccessful as the pilot could not identify the runway, leading to a go-around and the commencement of a holding pattern.
A subsequent landing attempt was performed several minutes later; however, the ongoing poor weather forced the crew to execute another go-around. During a third approach attempt, the aircraft type (unspecified) descended too low and collided with a sand dune located 5 km from the runway threshold. The impact resulted in a crash that caused 11 fatalities.
Findings
- Severe weather conditions involving a sandstorm significantly impaired visibility during the approach phase.
- The aircraft struck terrain (a sand dune) while flying at an insufficient altitude during the final approach attempt.