Boeing 707 accident near Sharjah, Ae, October 21, 2009
On October 21, 2009 at about 11:31 am local time, a Boeing 707, registered STAKW, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff near Sharjah (Sharjah International Airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 6 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2009 · about 11:31 am local time
- Place
- Sharjah, United Arab Emirates · Sharjah International Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 707 300 · all 707s on the register
- Registration
- STAKW · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 21, 2009, a Sudan Airways, B-707, registration ST-AKW, crashed shortly after takeoff from runway 30 at Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah, UAE. The six crewmembers on board were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The intended destination of the cargo flight was Khartoum, Sudan. The investigation is being conducted by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The NTSB has assigned an Accredited Representative to assist the investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as the Country of Manufacture and Design of the airplane and engines.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SHJ Sharjah
- Destination: Khartoum
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 6 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.