Incident Overview
An aircraft leased by Saudi Arabian Airlines was operating a charter hajj flight from Jeddah to Ankara. En route, the crew was informed of poor weather conditions at Ankara, characterized by limited visibility due to fog, and was instructed to divert to Istanbul-Yeşilköy Airport.
Approach and Impact
During the final approach to runway 24, the copilot alerted the captain that one of the VASI lights was red and that their altitude was insufficient. The captain responded by increasing engine power; however, the aircraft continued to descend. It subsequently struck the ground eight meters short of the concrete runway.
Damage and Evacuation
Upon impact, the left engine (number 1) was torn off, and both the left main landing gear and central gear were also detached when the aircraft struck the shoulder of the first runway's concrete block. The aircraft then slid on its belly for several hundred meters, veered to the left, and came to rest in flames in a grassy area. All 377 occupants were quickly evacuated; among them, 10 sustained slight injuries. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation identified the following probable cause: The aircraft reported the runway in sight before reaching the NDB and crossed the NDB about 600 feet below the established minimum. During the final approach, it continuously followed a path (glide slope) that was below the 3° angle approach slope of the VASIS. There were strong indications that the first officer's altitude call-outs were derived from the radio altimeter, which was considered a contributing factor for this low approach due to terrain characteristics.