What happened
On the morning of the accident, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-61, registered C-GMXQ, was performing a flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Sokoto, Nigeria, carrying pilgrims. Shortly after the aircraft released its brakes for takeoff, the crew noted an unusual oscillating sound. The crew identified a potential flat tire during the takeoff roll. As the aircraft accelerated, physical evidence on the runway indicated that the No.1 wheel began to disintegrate, while the No.2 wheel experienced significant tire deflation and flange contact with the runway surface.
By the time the aircraft reached rotation speed and lifted off, witnesses observed flames near the left main landing gear. Once the landing gear was retracted, the visible flames subsided, but the aircraft soon experienced a series of critical system failures, including loss of hydraulics, a gear unsafe indication, and a failure in the pressurization system. During the climb, a communication error occurred between the pilot and Air Traffic Control; because the pilot used the operator's callsign rather than the flight's assigned callsign, the controller misidentified the aircraft as a different Saudi-bound flight.
As the aircraft transitioned to a downwind heading, the crew declared an emergency due to blown tires. Shortly after, a flight attendant reported heavy smoke in the cabin. The fire, which had been burning since takeoff, eventually consumed the cabin floor above the wheel wells. When the crew extended the landing gear for the return approach, the structural damage caused by the fire led to the loss of cabin furnishings and parts of the airframe. Despite the pilot's attempts to manage the emergency, the aircraft struck the ground approximately 9,433 feet short of the runway, causing 261 fatalities.
Findings
- The takeoff roll was compromised by the disintegration of the No.1 wheel and the deflation of the No.2 tire.
- Intense fire in the wheel well area caused significant structural damage to the cabin floor and airframe.
- Miscommunication between the flight crew and ATC regarding the aircraft's identity contributed to confusion during the emergency descent.