Incident Overview
A four-engine cargo aircraft operating a flight from Yerevan Airport to Turkmenbashi crashed in a rocky field 6 km from Baku-Bina Airport after all four engines stopped simultaneously during a go-around. The aircraft was carrying 8 passengers, 7 crew members, and 13 tons of various goods. All 15 occupants were injured, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Sequence of Events
En route at a cruising altitude of 9,100 metres, the crew requested permission to divert to Baku-Bina Airport. During the approach, air traffic control (ATC) instructed the crew to initiate a go-around because the aircraft was aligned on a runway under construction, parallel to the active runway 35. As the crew began to climb, all four engines stopped simultaneously. The aircraft subsequently stalled and crashed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the accident was the consequence of several factors:
- During engine run at Yerevan Airport, the crew encountered technical problems with an engine that could not be started properly, causing an excessive fuel consumption of 900 litres.
- En route, the crew failed to monitor fuel consumption properly.
- The decision to divert to Baku-Bina Airport was taken too late.
- The crew failed to declare an emergency and did not inform ATC of the fuel shortage, which would have given landing priority.
- Approach planning was poor, as the crew approached the wrong runway.
- Crew coordination was inadequate.
- The crew failed to raise the landing gear during the climbout, increasing fuel consumption.