Overview

Flash Airlines Flight 604 was a scheduled charter service operated with a Boeing 737-300 that departed Sharm El Sheikh on 3 January 2004 bound ultimately for Paris via Cairo. Seconds after becoming airborne the aircraft descended and struck the waters of the Red Sea near the airport. All 135 passengers and 13 crew members on board were killed, making it one of the deadliest civil aviation accidents in Egypt’s history.

Aircraft and flight details

The aircraft was a short- to medium-range twinjet in the Boeing 737 Classic family, commonly used by charter carriers. Flash Airlines operated tourist services between Egyptian resort airports and European destinations. Flight 604 carried holiday passengers; the accident occurred during the initial climb phase, a portion of flight that requires close crew coordination and stable aircraft configuration.

Accident sequence

According to recovered evidence and witness accounts, the airplane entered an aerodynamic abnormal attitude shortly after takeoff and impacted the sea within minutes. Wreckage and the airplane’s flight recorders were recovered from shallow waters and examined by investigators. Precise control inputs and exact sequence of events remain subject to interpretation by different reviewing parties.

Investigation and findings

Investigators analyzed the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder and considered factors such as human performance, spatial orientation, crew training and company procedures. One commonly cited explanation is spatial disorientation of the flight crew leading to loss of control, but official reports and outside experts have not produced a single universally accepted conclusion. The case has been described as disputed because different analyses emphasize different contributing factors.

Aftermath and legacy

The loss of Flight 604 prompted scrutiny of charter operations, crew training standards and oversight of smaller carriers. It stood as Egypt’s deadliest air disaster until the 2015 downing of another charter flight, and it remains the most severe accident involving a 737-300 model. The accident is frequently cited in discussions of pilot spatial disorientation and the importance of instrument flying proficiency during night or low-visibility departures.

Notable points

  • Total fatalities: 148 (135 passengers, 13 crew).
  • Accident occurred shortly after takeoff from Sharm El Sheikh and impact was in the Red Sea.
  • Flight route involved a stopover at Cairo en route to Paris in France.
  • Flight recorders were recovered and examined, but analyses produced differing interpretations.

The accident remains an important case study in accident investigation, crew resource management and the challenges of attributing a single definitive cause when evidence and interpretations vary.