What happened
The incident occurred during the descent phase toward Qingdao Airport under adverse meteorological conditions. The environment was characterized by low cloud ceilings and significantly reduced visibility. As the aircraft executed its final approach, it descended to an altitude that was too low for safe clearance. Consequently, the airframe impacted the slope of a mountain and crashed. This collision resulted in the fatalities of all 43 occupants on board.
Findings
Investigations by US authorities determined that the weather conditions at the time of the accident were below the minimum standards published by the US Navy. The cloud base was exceptionally low, creating a situation where the crew could not visually distinguish the terrain features. Due to this lack of visual reference with the ground, the flight path was maintained at an altitude insufficient for obstacle clearance, leading directly to the impact.