1979 PIA Boeing 707 (AP-AWZ) Crash Near Taif

[smhusain_1]

The aircraft was lost after departure from JED in Nov. 1979. The reason given was the alleged lighting of a portable stove in the cabin by one of the returning passengers (hajis?), resulting in an uncontrolled fire/smoke. However, this particular aircraft was returning from Kano, Nigeria, the sector JED-KANO-JED having been flown with a Saudia call sign.

This period was also the build up of the Afghan war and Pakistan's quest for an atomic weapons program. Kano, as you realize is in Western Africa, probably near Niger, a country which remains a rich source of uranium.

Who was on board that aircraft returning from that area and specifically what cargo was going to Pakistan on that flight? What happened to that flight could have been a deliberate act of sabotage, and the fire etc., a smokescreen. I would be interested in any replies but as you know this crash was investigated as incapacitation of the crew due smoke inhalation/fire.

[Abbas Ali]

Beautiful action photo of PIA Boeing 707-340C (AP-AWZ) taken at London-Heathrow Airport on July 8, 1973.


Click here to see large photo. (Photo by R.A.Scholefield)

Abbas

[umar744]

AP-AWZ overfly King's home to shot down it and paid to PIA for mistake

[needroos]

Is spinning conspiracy theories necessary?

[Vaqar Khan]

Is spinning conspiracy theories necessary?

Fully agree with your thoughts! As a nation we try to find a conspiracy behind every happening.

[Abbas Ali]

Found this rare photo of AP-AWZ in green & gold livery at London-Heathrow Airport on July 9, 1978.

The Boeing 707 must have been wearing this livery when it crashed in Saudi Arabia on November 26, 1979.


ScanImage 10e 2048 by Proplinerman, on Flickr

Abbas

[Moin]

Seeing that in 1979 PIA had both DC-10's and 747's in their fleet, I'm surprised to see a 707 operating to LHR.

[umar744]

yes 707 flew to LHR till March 1985 and last Cargo 707 in March 1999

[Abbas Ali]

PIA flights to London, according to airline's 1979 timetable.

* Boeing 707 flight PK-701 from Islamabad to London via Istanbul on every Monday.
* Boeing 707 flight PK-705 from Islamabad to London via Istanbul & Amsterdam on every Tuesday.
* Boeing 747 flight PK-781 from Karachi to London via Dubai, Frankfurt & Paris on every Wednesday.
* Boeing 707 flight PK-721 from Karachi to London via Dhahran & Damascus on every Thursday.
* Boeing 707 flight PK-709 from Karachi to London via Dubai, Damascus & Amsterdam on every Friday.
* Boeing 747 flight PK-785 from Islamabad to London via Tehran on every Saturday.
* Boeing 747 flight PK-787 from Karachi to London via Frankfurt on every Sunday.
* Boeing 747 flight PK-783 from Islamabad to London via Tehran on every Sunday.

Abbas

[umar744]

correct I flew PK701 and PK702 and PK705 and PK706 on 707 also I flew PK781, PK783, PK785, PK787 on 747 also I flew DC10 PK702 but PIA ceased Tehran due to Iraq-Iran war then I flew PK785 RWP-DXB-CPH-LHR and PK783 RWP-DXB-LHR from 1981. AP-AYV & AP-AYW engine noise JT9D-7 but AP-BAK & AP-BAT 74M engine CF6-50E2 better smooth than AP-AYV / AYW. I flew PK783 AP-BAT nonstop from ISB to LHR overfly Moscow in 1986 weight took off 345,000kg old short runway 9,000feet from ISB on night cold weather. BA 747-200B RR engine took off 333,000kg from ISB to LHR summer time before upgrade 11,000feet runway old PIA AP-AYV, AYW, BCL, BCM, BCN, BCO took off 340,000kg from ISB to LHR started November 1995.

[Abbas Ali]

Following are names of cockpit crew of ill-fated PIA flight PK-740 operated with Boeing 707-340C registration AP-AWZ that crashed on November 26, 1979.

Capt. Khalid Wyne
First Officer Shakil Dossa
Flight Engineer Ashfaq Memon

According to information given to news media by a Saudi aviation official after the accident:

1:30 AM (Saudi local time) - AP-AWZ took-off from Jeddah Airport.
1:50 AM - the pilot informed ground controller that there's smoke in aircraft cabin/cockpit and sought clearance for return to Jeddah. Emergency clearance was immediately granted to the aircraft for its return to Jeddah.
1:52 AM - pilot informed ground controller that smoke has engulfed passenger cabin.
2:03 AM - the ground controller heard pilot shouting "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" and then the radio communication went silent.

Pilot of an aircraft on a routine flight from Riyadh to Jeddah witnessed and reported AP-AWZ crash.

Short circuit in aircraft cabin/cockpit was suspected as cause of fire by the Saudi aviation official.

Some related photos.


AP-AWZ wreckage piece -apparently fuselage skin where 'Pakistan International' titles were painted.


Capt. Khalid Wyne was commander of flight PK-740.

Abbas

[umar744]

Yes Capt. Khalid Wyne was very good friend of my father. I was small boy remember of Capt. Khalid Wyne was very nice person.

[imiakhtar]

Capt. Khalid Wyne

The surname Wyne rings a bell.

Is there another pilot in PIA with that name?

[umar744]

yes true Captain KHALID WYNE correct name. You need contact Public Relation Dept of PIA head office to tell you or you read newspapers. Abbas Ali HOP is RIGHT correct. I know Capt. Khalid Wyne very well and I flew with him last September 1979 from Lahore to Karachi also my parents and family and me met him at Royal Garden Kensington Hotel London last my school half term holiday 30th October 1979 then Last December 1979 I asked my parents for where is Capt. Khalid Wyne? and they said he died killed crashed near Taif, Saudia Arabia after took off from Jeddah also my deaf friend Irshad Quli's sister in law Cabin crew Air Hotress steward died crashed PK740 AP-AWZ very sad.

[smhusain_1]

My friend Group Capt. (Retd) Nasir Hussain Khan of PAF and also retired from PIA (B747 First Officer) wrote to me today that he was with the first helicopter that landed at the crash site near Taif. He was commanding the PAF contingent there at the time and based at Taif.
The aircraft touched down on its belly on a sort of a plateau with rocks strewn around. The descent rate was high and the last transmission on the CVR was like 'heave' from the copilot meaning the ground came up unexpectedly. One of the rght engines broke off and the wing broke off from the root.
The bodies were all charred and according to him the rear passengers were found in the front because of some transverse g effect. There was nothing intact in the bodies. The aircraft parts were collected and taken to Taif where they were laid out for investigation.A burial was done in the graveyard there and of course the Saudis do not have markers or signs later.
All this was never conveyed by PIA or the Flight Operations Dept. to us. He confirmed there was no missile hit as the aircraft was more or less intact but said that Taif was a dual purpose airfield and the emergency landing could have been done there.