What happened
During an approach to Nanyuan Air Force Base, situated south of Beijing, the flight crew faced challenging meteorological conditions. Visibility was significantly reduced due to low-hanging clouds that descended to approximately 300 feet above ground level. While navigating roughly 25 kilometers northwest of the airport, the aircraft collided with a radio antenna structure standing at a height of about 300 meters. Following the impact, the plane crashed into a nearby field. The accident resulted in all 59 occupants being killed.
Findings
Investigations indicated that the pilot was unable to visually identify the obstacle due to the severe low visibility conditions. A critical contributing factor was that the radio antenna was not depicted on any available navigation charts, rendering it an unmarked hazard for the crew.