Accident Overview
A charter flight operating from Asmara to Antalya with intermediate stops in Port Sudan and Hurghada crashed while approaching Antalya at night. The aircraft was carrying helicopter crews returning to Russia.
Approach and Weather Conditions
During the approach, the crew was informed of poor weather conditions at the destination, including thunderstorm activity. Visibility was limited to two kilometers, and wind was from 220 degrees gusting to 35 knots. Air traffic control advised the crew to maintain heading and to initiate a go-around if they could not establish visual contact with the runway.
Accident Sequence
On short final, the left engine struck a 10-meter-high electric pole. The aircraft subsequently lost height and crashed on a road located 1,325 meters short of the runway and 550 meters to the left of its extended centerline. After the crash, all 27 occupants were rescued; eight of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation identified the following findings: the crew mistook the road lights for the airport lights and descended too low; the crew continued the approach after passing the minimum descent altitude; the crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure; limited visibility due to poor weather conditions; some ATC instructions led to confusion; and information related to weather conditions was inaccurate.