What happened
On the afternoon of the accident, a flight operated for the 2nd Tactical Aerial Force departed from Diyarbakir Airport at 12:50 local time, bound for Ankara. The aircraft was transporting 28 passengers and six crew members. Approximately 25 minutes after takeoff, while the aircraft was cruising at 17,000 feet with a speed of 444 km/h, the crew encountered severe weather consisting of rain and hail. Due to these conditions, the crew declared an emergency and attempted to divert the flight to Malatya-Erhaç Airport.
During this diversion, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent. The flight path involved a left roll and three consecutive barrel rolls before the aircraft impacted an apricot orchard in the vicinity of Akçadağ. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft type and caused 34 fatalities, with no survivors among the occupants.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in poor weather conditions involving rain and hail at the time of the loss of control.
- The flight was in the cruise phase of flight when the emergency was declared and the subsequent descent began.