What happened
A cargo operation traveling from Novosibirsk to Kursk, with scheduled stops in Chelyabinsk and Kuybyshev, ended in an accident during the arrival phase at Kursk-Vostoshny Airport. During the descent, the flight crew executed an approach using an incorrect track. Although the aircraft was not correctly aligned with the localizer and the pilot-in-command lacked visual contact with the runway or approach lighting, the decision was made to proceed with the landing attempt.
As the aircraft continued the descent, it dropped below the glide path and impacted trees in a forested area. The wreckage was located approximately 420 meters before the runway threshold and 250 meters to the left of the extended centerline. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft, and while there were five injuries, no fatalities were reported among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the crew utilized an improper approach configuration, which led the aircraft onto a trajectory that deviated from the intended path. This caused the plane to descend below the required decision height before striking obstacles. Several contributing factors were noted:
- Inadequate coordination between the flight crew members
- Insufficient preparation for the flight
- Crew fatigue resulting from performing multiple landings throughout the day
- Failure by the pilot-in-command to execute a go-around procedure
- Reduced horizontal and vertical visibility caused by mist, drizzle, and low cloud cover