What happened
During a nighttime approach to Kharkiv Airport under conditions of restricted visibility, an aircraft was performing its descent when it collided with treetops. While traveling at a speed of 270 km/h, the plane experienced a stall and subsequently crashed into the slope of a forested hill, approximately 12 km before reaching the runway threshold. The impact resulted in 19 fatalities, including one crew member and 18 passengers, while 31 individuals sustained injuries, several of which were categorized as serious. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified two primary contributing factors. First, air traffic control provided the flight crew with an incorrect barometric pressure reading of 757 mm instead of the correct 737 mm; this erroneous altimeter setting caused the aircraft to descend approximately 220 meters below its intended altitude. Second, the crew failed to respond to the ground proximity warning system, which had activated a warning horn for 23 seconds prior to the collision.