What happened
During the departure from runway 24, the four-engine airplane reached a takeoff speed of 145 knots. As the aircraft began its initial climb at an altitude of approximately 100 feet, it entered a stall condition. The aircraft subsequently impacted the ground roughly 1,120 meters beyond the end of the runway.
Following the initial impact, the plane traveled an additional 114 meters before striking an embankment. A final impact occurred 340 meters later, which triggered a post-crash fire. The force of the impacts and the subsequent flames resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. The accident resulted in 59 fatalities (comprising 55 passengers and 4 crew members) and 98 injuries.
Findings
Investigations determined that the crew attempted the takeoff with an incorrect configuration. Specifically, the leading edge flaps remained retracted because the pneumatic system required to operate them had not been activated. This error caused the aircraft to become airborne in a state of partial stall. The pilots were unable to recognize or recover from this condition during the brief window of time available.
Contributing factors included a failure by the crew to properly execute checklist procedures and a lack of adequate warning regarding the critical position of the leading edge flaps.