What happened
On February 9, 1976, an Aviaco Antonov An-24RV aircraft, registered as YR-AMC, was conducting a scheduled passenger and mail flight from Bucharest-Băneasa to Bacau. The aircraft departed Bucharest at 07:25 local time and arrived over the Bacau radio beacon at 07:59 at an altitude of 400 meters. The crew initiated the final approach for landing on Runway 34.
As the aircraft descended, visibility deteriorated rapidly due to a layer of industrial smoke near the ground combined with a temperature inversion. The crew lost visual reference with the runway and touched down approximately 1,300 meters short of the threshold on flat terrain. The nose gear collapsed upon impact, and the aircraft skidded for about 450 meters before stopping. The aircraft sustained significant damage to the nose gear, fuselage frame, and lower forward fuselage, but there were no fatalities or injuries among the 19 passengers and crew.
The investigation
The administrative investigation was conducted by the TAROM Civil Aviation Command on February 16, 1976. The inquiry examined the flight plan, weather conditions, aircraft maintenance records, and crew qualifications. The An-24 had entered service in April 1971 with 6,312 flight hours at the time of the incident. The engines and avionics were functioning normally. The crew was found to be professionally qualified and physically fit for duty.
The investigation established that initial weather conditions at Bacau allowed for landing, with reported visibility of 2 km and a ceiling of 3,000 meters. However, localized industrial smoke, trapped by a temperature inversion near the ground, drastically reduced visibility in the approach zone. The thin layer of snow on the runway contrasted with the bright snow on the surrounding terrain, further complicating visual identification.
Findings
The primary cause of the incident was the sudden and unexpected reduction in visibility caused by industrial smoke and a temperature inversion near the airport. Contributing factors included the crew's delay in deciding to execute a missed approach after being surprised by the reduced visibility and the difficulty in distinguishing the runway from the surrounding snow-covered terrain.
Safety action
The TAROM Civil Aviation Command issued directives to ground the aircraft for inspection. Recommendations included mandatory re-evaluation of flight crew qualifications, establishment of standardized training methodologies for instrument flying, and the creation of a dedicated training facility for the AN-24 detachment to prevent similar occurrences.