What happened
During the initial climb phase following departure from runway 32 at Seoul-Gimpo Airport, a propeller blade separated from the third engine. This detached component struck the aircraft's fuselage and breached the cabin, resulting in the immediate deaths of four passengers. The impact also severed the control cables for the rudder and ailerons.
As the crew attempted to shut down the third engine and feather the propeller, two additional blades detached from the fourth engine and struck that unit as well. Although the flight crew notified Air Traffic Control and was granted authorization to perform an emergency landing on runway 14, the aircraft became uncontrollable. The plane subsequently crashed into a canal situated approximately 15 km north of the airport, where it caught fire.
Out of the total occupants, 22 fatalities were recorded, including both pilots and one other crew member. The accident resulted in 24 injuries, while 113 individuals on board escaped without harm.
Findings
The sequence of mechanical failures began with the loss of a propeller blade on engine number three during the climb.