Event Narrative
An airplane en route from Batumi to Sukhumi encountered worsening weather conditions. The crew received clearance to modify their route to avoid a low-pressure area to the north. Shortly thereafter, air traffic control (ATC) cleared the crew to descend to 2,400 meters. The airplane was cruising at a speed of 410 km/h in limited visibility due to night and marginal weather conditions. It subsequently struck the south slope of Mount Apshara, which has an elevation of 2,580 meters, approximately 26 kilometers northeast of Gali, Abkhazia. The wreckage was located a few hours later. All 38 occupants were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the accident resulted from a series of negligences and wrong decisions by ATC. The controller cleared the crew to descend to an unsafe altitude of 2,400 meters, whereas the minimum safe altitude for the area was 3,600 meters. This clearance was enabled by multiple errors in track calculation after the crew had been cleared to avoid the low-pressure area; the aircraft's position was 25 kilometers too far from the prescribed flight path at that moment. Additionally, the crew failed to take appropriate measures to determine their proper position, which was considered a contributing factor.
Probable Cause
The probable cause is a series of negligences and wrong decisions by ATC, who cleared the crew to descend to an unsafe altitude, compounded by the crew's failure to ascertain their correct position.