What happened
During a nighttime departure from Baku bound for Aktau, an aircraft crashed into the shoreline of the Caspian Sea near Nardaran, located approximately 35 km northeast of Baku. The accident occurred less than five minutes after the flight departed. The aircraft entered a steep, downward spiral to the right before impacting the ground.
The flight was operating under challenging weather conditions at the time of the accident. The impact resulted in the deaths of all 23 people on board, consisting of 5 crew members and 18 passengers.
Findings
Investigations into the crash revealed that the crew experienced a loss of spatial orientation during the initial climb. This disorientation was attributed to the fact that the aircraft's gyro horizons were caged at the time of takeoff, preventing the flight crew from maintaining a correct perception of the aircraft's attitude relative to the horizon.