What happened
During a multi-leg flight route originating in Alma-Ata and scheduled for stops at Arasan, Taldykorgan, and Kapal, an aircraft struck terrain near Taldykorgan Airport. Shortly after departing from the Taldykorgan airfield, the flight encountered significantly degraded weather conditions. Despite receiving instructions from Air Traffic Control to return to the airport, the crew proceeded with the flight.
As visibility decreased, the pilot lowered the altitude of the aircraft to 1,100 meters. During this descent in low visibility, the plane collided with the slope of Mt Eskiulmes, which has an elevation of 1,504 meters, located approximately 30 km northeast of Taldykorgan. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and caused three fatalities among the passengers. Additionally, three passengers sustained serious injuries, while both pilots suffered minor injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the crew did not comply with ATC directives to execute a return to Taldykorgan Airport as weather conditions worsened following takeoff. A primary contributing factor was that the crew continued flight operations at an altitude that was insufficient for the prevailing limited visibility.