What happened
During a localizer back course approach, the aircraft struck trees and terrain roughly 3 miles from the runway threshold. The accident occurred while the flight was attempting to reach the Final Approach Fix and the Minimum Descent Height. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and 18 fatalities.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the captain delayed the beginning of the descent, which necessitated an excessive rate of descent to meet the required approach parameters. This delay caused significant distractions during a critical phase of the flight. Consequently, the flightcrew lost situational awareness regarding their altitude, allowing the plane to descend below required level-off points.
Further examination of the captain's professional history indicated issues regarding airmanship and behavior, specifically noting a lack of effective crew coordination and the intimidation of first officers. It was determined that company management failed to properly address these behavioral concerns. Additionally, the airline's flight operations management did not implement sufficient oversight for crew training or aircraft operations. The investigation also noted that FAA guidance to inspectors regarding operational bulletins was insufficient to effectively communicate safety information to airlines.