[3][4] On arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the plane landed heavily, bounced repeatedly, eventually breaking up and veering off the runway.

After the crash, a fire consumed the midsection of the aircraft before it was brought under control by the airport emergency services.

[4][5][6] The aircraft involved in the accident was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 registered as D-ALCQ,[3] MSN 48431, line number 534.

[4] A similar accident had occurred on FedEx Express Flight 80 in the previous year, where both crew members were killed in a bounced landing.

[4] The final report made several recommendations to improve training, procedures and flight instruments to help crews to deal with bounced landings.