Lufthansa cargo plane crashes at Riyadh airport

[Rockville]

A Lufthansa cargo plane has crashed at King Khaled International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Saudi state television reports.

The Saudi civil aviation authority has been trying to put out a fire on board the plane, Dubai-based al-Arabiya television reports.

Reports say there are no casualties on the German-owned plane.

Reuters news agency reported that the fire had been contained.

BBC News,
27 July 2010 Last updated at 10:10 GMT

[ehusmann]

According a threat on A.net the plane involved should be D-ALCQ (unconfirmed though).

Erwin

[Rockville]

A Lufthansa cargo plane has crashed at King Khaled International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Saudi state television reports.

There were no casualties on the German-owned plane, the kingdom's civil aviation authority said.

But the plane's two pilots were being treated in hospital, Lufthansa said in a statement quoted by Reuters.

The Saudi civil aviation authority has been trying to put out a fire on the plane, reports said.

"The firefighters are containing the fire," said a spokesman for the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

BBC News update,
27 July 2010 10:23 GMT

[MainPower]

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/ ... 14965.html (incl. poor photo)

RIYADH (AlArabiya, Agencies)

A cargo plane belonging to the German carrier Lufthansa crashed on landing at Riyadh airport on Tuesday, with the pilots hospitalized, Al Arabiya and the Saudi state television reported.

"The plane's pilot and co-pilot were hospitalized," said Al Arabiya TV.

It said the aircraft broke up into two on landing after smoke was seen coming from the plane as it approached the airport. Civil defense teams were working to put out the fire.

A Saudi civil aviation authority spokesman, Khalid al-Khaibri, gave no details on the crash, which took place at around noon (0900 GMT). "We are still collecting information," he said.

An airport ground services official, declining to give his name, told AFP the plane, apparently an MD-11, appeared to have caught fire upon landing. "The aircraft is totally finished," he said.

Lufthansa had a scheduled flight to Riyadh from its Frankfurt hub on Tuesday, airport sources said.

[PH-OUD]

According a threat on A.net the plane involved should be D-ALCQ (unconfirmed though).

Erwin

http://www.avherald.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; "confirms":

Accident: Lufthansa MD11 at Riyadh on Jul 27th 2010, burst into flames on landing
By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jul 27th 2010 10:25Z, last updated Tuesday, Jul 27th 2010 11:13Z

A Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 freighter, registration D-ALCQ performing flight GEC-8460 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), broke into two parts and burst into flames while landing at Riyadh's runway 33L around 12:20L (09:00Z). Captain and first officer received injuries and were taken to local hospitals. Fire fighters were able to extinguish the fire, that broke out in the center area of the aircraft, front and rear portion were visibly not consumed by the fire.


Metars:
OERK 271000Z 32022KT 7000 SKC 41/05 Q1005 NOSIG
OERK 270900Z 32014KT CAVOK 40/05 Q1006 NOSIG
OERK 270800Z 34014KT CAVOK 39/06 Q1006 NOSIG
OERK 270700Z 35010KT CAVOK 38/07 Q1007 NOSIG
OERK 270600Z 33009KT CAVOK 37/07 Q1007 NOSIG
OERK 270500Z 31008KT CAVOK 33/05 Q1007 NOSIG
OERK 270400Z 29006KT CAVOK 30/06 Q1006 NOSIG
OERK 270300Z 30007KT CAVOK 28/04 Q1006 NOSIG

That is, unless they used that thread on A.net as their source, of cause

[Gerard]

D-ALCQ was confirmed to me by Lufthansa Staff here in Frankfurt.

Gerard

[jovi198]

MD-11 D-ALCQ left from Frankfurt airport and crashed 11:38 local time.

During landing at Riyad airport the aircraft caught fire and landed at the runway were the aircraft collapsed in serveral pieces.

[mac]

If you have a look at the pictures of the aircraft after the crash, I am wondering how these pilots have survived. They were very lucky and I wish them of the luck they need on their way to recovery.

A few MD11 aircraft have crashed so far. Correct me if I am wrong but did all these accidents happen during landing?

[PH-OUD]

If you have a look at the pictures of the aircraft after the crash, I am wondering how these pilots have survived. They were very lucky and I wish them of the luck they need on their way to recovery.

A few MD11 aircraft have crashed so far. Correct me if I am wrong but did all these accidents happen during landing?

Yes, but that does not necessarily means there is a structural problem with the aircraft. It can also have to do with, for example, the quantity or way the cargo is loaded, or even the type of cargo.
In this specific instance, some sources talk of the crew reporting a cargo fire, and making an emergency landing.

But you rightfully started with stating the most important thing here: the crew survived. Let's hope they recover quickly and fully.

[ehusmann]

Correct me if I am wrong but did all these accidents happen during landing?

You surely not right. The Swissair crash happened in mid flight.

Erwin

[Gerard]

Fact is that the crew was extremely lucky to escape alive because the MD-11 did not turn on its back, like in some other MD-11 landing-accidents (e.g. Mandarin, FedEx).

Gerard

[mac]

I forgot about the Swissair crash. Was thinking of the Fedex, Mandarin etc.

[pjotrtje]

For a photo (as we're talking a lot about the picture but i couldn't find one in the thread):
(Bild Zeitung image)

[MainPower]

For a photo (as we're talking a lot about the picture but i couldn't find one in the thread)

Maybe you should check the links mention in this thread .. and you would have seen them.
In the link I mention before (http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/ ... 14965.html) you see it right after the crash. Only the mid session is on fire, where the hull broke.... At least that's what I see...

[Rockville]

The BBC has a short video on their site.