Accident Details
On final approach to Donetsk-Sergei Prokofiev Airport, during the last segment, the aircraft banked right to an angle of 48°, causing the right wing to strike the ground. The aircraft overturned and crashed in a grassy area to the left of runway 08, coming to rest upside down. Five passengers were killed, while all other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
The flight was a charter from Odessa, carrying 44 football fans en route to a match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Dortmund. At the time of the accident, visibility was poor due to night and foggy conditions. Horizontal visibility was reported as 250 metres, with an RVR of 750 metres for runway 08 and vertical visibility of 200 feet.
Probable Cause
According to official findings, an instructor was planned to perform the flight with the crew but did not show up, so the captain decided to operate without him. On final approach, the visibility was limited, and the captain was authorized to descend to 1,000 feet, where he should have established visual contact with runway 08 or its approach lights. At this decision height, he continued the approach without any calls to the rest of the crew, despite not having established visual contact with the runway. During the last segment, the aircraft banked right due to a too low approach speed of 103 knots, stalled, and crashed. The crew failed to monitor the approach speed, and the captain decided to continue the approach despite visibility being below minimums. At the decision height, he should have abandoned the approach and initiated a go-around.