Incident Overview
A four-engine aircraft was en route from Andijan to Semipalatinsk when the crew diverted to Ucharal for unknown reasons. The approach controller cleared the crew to descend to an altitude of 600 meters. While descending to 1,269 meters, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 21 km south of Ucharal Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact. All 19 occupants were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident. The approach controller mistakenly cleared the crew to descend to 600 meters, while the minimum safe altitude for the area was fixed at 2,310 meters. No other factors were identified.