What happened
On the flight path from Rome to Pristina, a chartered aircraft operated by the World Food Program was performing an ILS approach under the guidance of military air traffic control. At the time of the incident, meteorological reports indicated visibility of 4,000 meters with a cloud base situated at 3,000 feet. While navigating through a sector where the minimum safety altitude is established at 6,900 feet, the aircraft was traveling north at an altitude of 4,600 feet. During a turn intended to realign with the airport, the plane collided with a mountain peak that reaches an elevation of 4,650 feet. The debris was located approximately 15 meters below the summit, positioned roughly 18 km northeast of Kosovska Mitrovica and 42 km north of Pristina Airport. The accident resulted in 24 fatalities.
Findings
Investigation of the flight path indicates that the aircraft was operating below the minimum safety altitude for that specific sector during its maneuver toward the airport.