

August 19, 1980

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian Airlines, 163

Lockheed 1011-200 TriStar

HZ-AHK



The flight experienced fire in the aft cargo compartment 6 minutes after takeoff from Rilyadh.

The plane returned to the airport and landed but because of a delay in evacuating the plane,

all aboard were killed by smoke and fire. Half a minute before landing the captain decided not

to order an emergency evacuation. When he landed, he did not stop immediately but instead

proceeded to make a normal landing delaying the fire equipment from putting out the fire. It

took a full twenty-three minutes after touchdown before the doors were opened. The failure

of the captain to prepare the cabin crew for immediate evacuation upon landing and his

failure in not making a maximum stop landing on the runway, with immediate evacuation. All

301 aboard were killed.

CAM-1 = Captain

CAM-2 = First Officer

CAM-3 = Flight Engineer

CAM-4 = Flight Attendant

RDO-2 = Radio transmission by First Officer

PA = Public address system

TMACC = Riyadh Terminal Area Control Center

TWR = Riyadh Tower

18:07:49 Takeoff

18.14:53 CAM ((Hostess call signal followed by an alternating tone at 14.54)

18.14:58 CAM-3 "B" aft cargo

CAM-1 What?

18.15:01 CAM-3 "B" aft cargo

18.15:04 CAM-2 What's going on?

18.15:10 CAM-3 Smoke detection "B" aft cargo

18.15:14 CAM-1 Stop ventilation

18.15:16 CAM-3 Smoke detection

CAM-3 Smoke detection "B" aft cargo

18.15:20 CAM-1 In "B" aft cargo

CAM-3 Yes

18.15:32 CAM-1 Did you turn it to the other one?

18.15:37 CAM-3 Just in "B".

CAM-1 What?

18.15:39 CAM-3 Not in "A".

CAM-3 Just in "B".

CAM-1 Just "B".

18.15:42 CAM-3 Yeah, "A" is okay.

CAM-1 Okay, so we can go on

CAM-3 Yes

18.15:51 CAM-1 The ventilation is not working at all in that one

CAM-3 Yeah

CAM ((Alternating tone))

18.15:55 CAM-3 There is "A"

CAM-1 What?

CAM-3 Now it is "A", both of them

18.15:59 CAM-1 So we got to be returning back right?

CAM-3 Both "A" and "B" aft cargo smoke detection

18.16:06 CAM-1 So we have smoke there

18.16:07 CAM-3 I would say so, yeah

18.16:18 CAM-1 What's the procedure for it in the checklist?

18.16:20 CAM-1 Yeah I am looking for it now

18.17:10 CAM-1 ((Singing in Arabic))

18.17:16 CAM-1 See that, what's it's name

18.17:17 CAM-2 Abnormal

18.17:19 CAM-1 No, no checklist abnormal

18.18:26 CAM-3 Both "A" and "B"

CAM-3 Yeah. Both "A" and "B"

CAM-3 Shall I test it again and see if it will test?

CAM-1 Yeah

18.18:34 CAM-3 It doesn't test

CAM-1 Doesn't test?

CAM-3 Both off

CAM-1 So that's actual isn't it?

18.18:54 CAM-3 That would ah --- I would say actual, yeah

CAM-1 Uh

CAM-3 I would say so, yeah both of them went

18.19:00 CAM-1 We have cleared the situation

18.19:17 CAM-1 There isn't anything about it in the abnormal procedures, huh.

18.19:20 CAM-3 Nothing about it, should I just go back there and see if I can find anything or smell anything?

18.19:25 CAM-1 What?

18.19:26 CAM-3 Shall I go back there and see if I can smell anything?

CAM-1 Okay, sure.

CAM-3 Yeah

CAM ((Sound of cockpit door opening))

18.19:30 CAM-1 Have they seen it

CAM-3 If I can see, smell something I'm think we better go back

18.19:35 CAM-1 Surely check it

CAM-3 We'll see

18.19:40 CAM ((Sound similar to cockpit door slamming))

18.19:41 CAM-2 Strange no procedure for it

CAM-1 No procedure for it?

18.19:44 CAM-1 Tell them we're returning back

CAM-2 To Riyadh

18.19:48 CAM-1 We are 60 miles out ah ---

18.19:58 CAM-1 We better go, go back to Riyadh

CAM-1 Look in the abnormal

CAM-1 By the way he's a jackass, in the abnormal it is in the checklist

18.20:16 CAM-3 We've got a fire back there

CAM ((Sound similar to door slamming))

18.20:18 CAM-1 We do?

CAM-3 Yes we do

CAM-1 It's okay call please

18.20:25 CAM-1 Tell him we're coming back

18.20:25 TMACC Go ahead

18.20:27 RDO-2 18.1-6-3, we're coming back to Riyadh

18.20:30 CAM-3 I would declare an emergency

CAM-1 Yeah

18.20:33 TMACC Cleared to reverse course to Riyadh and request reason

CAM-2 Declare emergency?

18.20:36 CAM ((Door slams))

18.20:37 CAM-? Fire, fire in the cabin

18.20:37 RDO-2 Saudia one six three, we've got fire in the cabin and please alert the fire trucks

CAM ((Noise similar to door slamming))

18.20:45 TMACC Okay and cleared back and if you'd like to descend, you can descend to any altitude you like

18.20:50 CAM-1 Okay

CAM-2 I already asked, I already asked

18.23:07 CAM-3 We definitely want

18.23:10 CAM-3 We definitely, we definitely want preference to land

CAM-1 Huh?

18.23:13 CAM-3 We definitely want preference to land, that's for sure

CAM-1 Yeah

18.23:22 CAM-1 Pressurization set? ---

CAM ((cabin announcement - unintelligible))

18.23:27 CAM-1 Okay

18.23:32 CAM-2 No smoking sign on

CAM-1 Okay, no smoking sign

18.23:36 CAM-1 Landing preliminary

18.23:40 CAM-3 Okay landing preliminary

18.23:41 CAM-3 18.1-42 on the bug

CAM-1 one forty-two

18.23:42 CAM-2 one forty-two

CAM-3 Anti-ice

CAM-1 Off

18.23:50 CAM-3 HSI heading

CAM-1 Set

18.23:51 CAM-3 Seatbelt sign

CAM-1 On

CAM-3 Ah

CAM-3 Logo light

CAM-1 It's okay

18.23:55 CAM-3 Logo light

CAM-1 Checked

18.23:58 CAM-3 Altimeters

CAM-1 Altimeters is gonna be what it is

CAM-1 It was 1-0-0-2 setting

18.24:03 CAM-3 Okay, and airspeed, groundspeed, airspeed and EPR bugs

18.24:16 CAM-3 Gross weight estimates

18.24:16 CAM ((Sound of alternating tone)) ((Smoke detector aural warning))

18.24:21 CAM-3 What can I say

18.24:22 CAM-1 Okay

CAM-3 I think it's all right now

CAM-1 Okay

18.24:25 CAM-2 one one zero

CAM-3 Gross weight airspeed and EPR bugs

CAM-1 Set and cross checked, one forty two set here two and one five five check

CAM-2 One five five

CAM-3 Check

18.24:40 CAM-1 Keep the oxygen to be prepared

18.24:41 CAM-3 ((Sound of alternating tone three times simultaneously with above))

CAM-3 There goes "A"

PA # # # #

18.24:49 CAM-1 ((Singing in Arabic))

18.24:59 PA Would passengers please remain seated

18.25:04 CAM-2 Six point eight

CAM-1 Huh?

CAM-2 Six point eight on the QNH

CAM-2 One zero zero six decimal eight

CAM-? ((Continuous talk by female voice in background))

18.25:12 CAM-1 Okay zero six decimal eight

18.25:26 CAM-1 Okay the throttle in engine number two, it's not returning back --- stuck

CAM-3 Stuck?

18.25:32 CAM-1 Stuck

18.25:36 CAM-3 I would leave it the way it is, Sir

CAM ((Sound of knocking))

CAM-1 Huh?

CAM-3 Just leave it the way it is.

18.25:40 CAM-1 I'm going to shut it down

18.25:41 CAM-4 We tried to, we tried to put it off, at L4 there is a fire

CAM-3 There's a fire?

CAM-4 Yeah

CAM-3 Well go put it out

18.25:45 TMACC One six three, did you get the message to get us the passengers on board and fuel endurance

CAM-4 How

18.25:47 CAM-3 In the ah, --- the fire extinguisher

CAM-4 I know I said we will do it

18.25:50 CAM-3 There is a fire back there

CAM-1 Okay

18.25:54 CAM ((Sound similar to door slamming))

18.25:55 CAM-1 Tell them we have actual fire in the cabin

18.25:59 RDO-2 Riyadh Saudi Arabia one six three, we have an actual fire in the cabin now

18.26:07 CAM-3 Shall I let Jeddah know on HF?

CAM-1 No

18.26:10 TMACC Saudi one six three roger, the fire are in the standby position and they are ready

CAM-3 No?

CAM-1 Not with our situation

18.26:17 RDO-2 One six three

18.26:18 PA L4 and R4 get the fire extinguishers from the galley --- ((repeated))

18.26:29 CAM-3 Geez lets go on as fast as we can till we can get to approach

18.26:31 CAM-1 That's it, this is the maximum

CAM-3 Yeah

18.26:34 CAM-1 Now engine number two is stuck there so something is wrong in it, I'm gonna be shut it down

18.26:39 CAM ((Sound similar to cockpit call chime))

18.26:40 CAM-3 Well not yet, not yet, not yet

18.26:42 CAM-4 There is no way I can go to the back * * after L2 R2 because the people are fighting in the aisles

CAM-3 Okay find a way if you can

18.26:53 CAM-4 L4 R4 L3 R3 * * open the cabinet and use all your fire extinguishers and the CO2

18.27:02 CAM-3 I'll keep your speed up as long as possible

CAM-1 Okay

CAM-1 As soon as possible we're gonna be down

18.27:16 PA (All passengers remain in your seats, etc.)

18.27:21 CAM-3 And your target speed is one forty one

CAM-1 Huh one forty one is set

18.27:30 CAM-3 Here's the bug card

18.27:32 CAM-1 Thank you

18.27:39 CAM-2 Set on mine

18.27:40 PA Please, everybody set down, move out of the way, everybody sit down, move out of the aisle, there is no danger from the airplane, everybody should stay in their seats

PA Sit on your seat, sit on your seat, ladies and gentlemen take your seat --- nothing will happen to aircraft, ladies and gentlemen fasten your seatbelt, don't stand like this set on your seats -- sit down, sit down [in Urdu]

18.28:03 CAM-3 Piece of cake, piece of cake

18.28:10 CAM-3 As soon as we land, sir, I suggest that we turn off all fuel valves

18.28:14 CAM-1 Okay

CAM-3 As soon as we land

CAM-1 Okay

18.28:17 CAM-3 As soon as we touch down

CAM-1 Okay

18.28:22 CAM-1 Where is the runway?

CAM-1 Can you see the runway?

18.28:27 CAM-2 No not yet, not yet

18.28:29 CAM-2 Twenty eight miles

CAM-? # # #

18.28:40 CAM-3 Did you tell the fire trucks to go to the back of the airplane as soon as possible

CAM-2 Yeah

CAM-1 Huh

PA Will all passengers remain seated, will all passengers remain seated, ((Urdu)) --- ladies and gentlemen sit down, sit down (repeated)

CAM-1 Advise them

CAM-1 Huh

CAM-2 Advise them?

18.28:50 CAM-1 How?

18.28:50 RDO-2 Riyadh one six three

CAM-2 Advise them

18.28:52 TWR Go ahead

CAM ((Sound of two knocks))

CAM-1 Yeah, yeah

18.28:54 RDO-2 Please advise fire trucks to be at tail of the airplane after touch, please.

18.28:59 TWR Yes, will do

18.29:01 CAM-1 Where is the airport, I don't see it?

CAM-4 Captain there is too much smoke in the back

CAM-2 There is the airport road, the yellow lamps are the airport road.

CAM-1 Huh

CAM-2 The yellow lamps are the airport road

CAM-1 That

CAM-2 Yeah

CAM-4 # # #

CAM-1 Are there too much smoke there?

18.29:34 CAM-3 Okay, I am going to test the system again

18.29:36 CAM ((Sound of alternating tone)) ((Smoke detector))

18.29:38 CAM-3 Okay, there's both "A" and "B" loops working again

18.29:44 CAM-3 And no indication of smoke

18.29:46 CAM-1 Huh

18.29:47 CAM-3 No ah indication of smoke, however, the cabin is filled with smoke in the back

CAM-1 Okay

18.29:53 CAM-1 Now the number two is stuck there the engine

CAM-1 Okay

18.29:56 CAM-3 I suggest we shut it down on short final

18.29:59 CAM ((Sound of alternating tone))

18.29:59 CAM-1 Yeah, on short final

18.30:01 CAM-3 Okay, there is "A" again

18.30:03 CAM-3 And "A" is going out

18.30:20 CAM ((Sound similar to door movement))

18.30:27 PA ((Passenger exhorting passengers to sit down))

18.30:35 CAM-3 What is he saying?

CAM-2 Trying to keep them calm, keep the down

18.30:41 CAM-1 Okay flaps four please

18.30:45 CAM-1 Okay, final to the box

18.30:47 CAM-2 Final to the box please

18.30:52 CAM ((Sound similar to seat movement))

18.30:56 PA Everybody sit down please, all passengers

18.31:00 CAM-1 Okay flaps ten please, correction, it's okay

CAM ((Sound of cough))

CAM-? *

CAM-2 They are the first people

CAM-1 What?

CAM-2 They are the first people

CAM-1 Who are they?

18.31:13 CAM-2 They are the people we were talking about

CAM-1 Huh

CAM-2 They are the people we were talking about

18.31:18 CAM-1 Where is the airport I don't see it

CAM-2 You see those lights over there, that's the stadium

18.31:22 CAM-2 I got the field in sight

18.31:25 CAM-1 I am just trying to intercept this (radial)

CAM-2 Okay

18.31:30 CAM-4 Shall we evacuate?

CAM-1 What?

18.31:31 CAM-4 Did you say we should evacuate ---

CAM-1 Okay

CAM-4 The passengers

CAM-3 Say again

CAM-4 Can we evacuate all the passengers?

18.31:34 CAM-1 Flaps ten please

CAM-3 When we're on the ground yes

CAM-4 Okay after we are on the ground yes

CAM-2 Flaps ten

CAM-1 Yeah

18.31:38 CAM-1 Final to the box !

18.31:40 CAM-2 Final to the box please

18.31:41 CAM-3 Final to the box

18.31:42 CAM-3 Okay ignition

CAM-2 On

CAM-3 No smoking sign

CAM-2 Say again

18.31:48 CAM-3 No smoking sign

CAM-2 On

18.31:49 CAM-3 Altimeters

CAM-2 Set, cross checked

CAM-3 Brake pressure

CAM-2 Checked

18.31:51 CAM-3 Radio and R NAV selector

CAM-2 Check

18.31:54 CAM-3 Okay complete to the box

18.31:58 CAM-3 Okay, right after landing sir do you want me to turn off all fuel valves?

18.32:02 CAM-1 No after we have stopped the aircraft

CAM-3 Okay

18.32:05 CAM-1 Okay, I'll tell you

18.32:10 CAM-4 Do you want us to evacuate passengers Captain?

CAM-1 What?

CAM-4 Do you want us to evacuate the passengers as soon as we stop

18.32:16 CAM-1 Take your position

CAM-4 Okay

18.32:19 CAM-3 The area duct overheat

CAM ((Sound similar to door shutting))

CAM-1 Okay

CAM-1 Flaps eighteen please

18.32:23 CAM-2 One eight

18.32:25 PA Flight attendants please take your position

CAM-4 Flight attendants please take your positions

18.32:31 CAM-2 Got runway in sight?

18.32:33 RDO-2 Riyadh, one six three, we got the runway in sight, are we cleared to land?

CAM-1 Oh yeah, I see it

PA Please take your positions

18.32:36 TMACC Affirmative, you are number one cleared for approach and you can continue tower one eighteen one

18.32:42 RDO-2 Eighteen one, one six three

18.32:44 RDO-2 Riyadh, Saudia one six three ten miles final runway in sight, cleared to land?

CAM-4 All of you sit down

18.32:48 TWR One six three cleared to land, wind three two zero at five

18.32:48 CAM-1 Okay I'm shutting

PA Fasten seatbelts all of you sit down [in Urdu]

18.32:52 CAM-1 Okay, I'm shutting down engine number two

CAM-1 It's stuck, present EPR

18.32:53 RDO-2 One six three, cleared to land, confirm you have alerted the fire trucks

CAM-3 Okay

CAM-1 Okay

CAM-3 Okay

18.32:58 TWR Affirmative, they are ready

18.32:59 CAM-1 Okay, it is coming down

18.33:01 RDO-2 Thank you

CAM-3 All right

CAM-1 Okay

18.33:06 CAM-2 Flaps in eighteen

18.33:08 CAM-3 I'll keep our speed up as much as possible

CAM-1 Okay, flaps twenty two

CAM-2 Flaps twenty two

CAM-4 Give me your attention please, be seated ladies and gentlemen, we are about to land there's no reason to panic

18.33:22 CAM-3 I'll give you a hundred and fifty down, okay

CAM-1 What?

18.22:23 CAM-3 A hundred and fifty on down

CAM-1 Yeah sure

18.33:29 PA We're about to land ladies and gentlemen place your hands behind your head for impact, girls demonstrate impact position, girls demonstrate impact position

18.33:31 CAM-1 Gear down please

CAM-2 Gear is coming down

18.33:35 CAM-3 Okay, you can go one ninety

CAM-1 Good

18.33:40 CAM-1 There is no, any procedure for the two engine, it's the same as three

CAM-2 Okay

CAM-3 Yeah

18.33:45 CAM-1 I just want to confirm it, I know it God damn it

18.33:52 CAM-1 Tell him that engine number two is should be shut down --- it's stuck

18.33:57 CAM-2 Okay

18.33:58 CAM-1 Tell the tower

CAM-2 Yeah

18.34:00 CAM-1 Yeah, we just have engine number one

18.34:02 RDO-2 Tower Saudia one six three

18.34:04 PA The girls have demonstrated impact position, please go down half a minute before touhdown, it's half a minute before touchdown, hands behind your head

18.34:06 TWR Go ahead one six three, wind three two zero at five

CAM-1 Number one and number three

18.34:10 RDO-2 One six three is cleared to land, we have engine number two shut down, we have only one and three

18.34:17 TWR Copied today

PA Everybody, please sit down, everything's under control, we are landing back at Riyadh, please it down and fasten your seatbelts, sit down and fasten your seatbelts, please

CAM-1 Okay

18.34:20 RDO-2 Okay

18.34:25 CAM-1 Complete the final checklist

CAM-2 Complete, flaps

18.34:26 CAM-3 Okay, your altimeters are one zero zero seven, set and cross checked three ways, gear and anti-skid is down and checked and your flaps are at thir- twenty two

18.34:39 CAM-1 Yeah, I know it

18.34:44 CAM-3 Both loops "A" and "B" are out

CAM-1 Thank you

18.34:53 PA Ladies and gentlemen, no need to panic, place your hands behind your head for impact position [Urdu]

18.35:06 CAM-3 Aft cargo door is opened sir

18.35:11 CAM-1 Check

CAM-3 No problem

PA Now ladies and gentlemen, may I ask you to please put your hands behind your heads for the impact position

18.35:56 CAM-3 Looking good

18.35:57 CAM-1 Tell them, tell them to not evacuate

18.36:01 PA Put your hand behind your head and head between your knees, hands behind your head

CAM ((Sound similar to door opening))

18.36:07 CAM-3 No need for that, we are okay, no problem, no problem

18.36:12 GPWS Minimum --- minimum

18.36:12 CAM-1 One hundred

CAM-3 One hundred

18.36:15 CAM ((Loud squeal begins and continues until end of CVR tape))

18.36:18 CAM-3 Fifty

18.36:19 CAM-3 Forty

18.36:21 CAM-3 Thirty

18.36:22 CAM ((Loud squeal))

((End of CVR tape))