Cargo Flight Crash in Czechoslovakia: Military Crew Descends Prematurely into Mountain (D-21)

A cargo flight carrying newspapers for CSA Czech Airlines crashed into Mt Bradlo during a night approach to Brno-Tuřany Airport, killing all five crew members.

Probable cause

The official findings determined that the flying crew started the descent prematurely following several errors. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude of 550 meters, well below the minimum altitude of 1,800 meters fixed for the area. Low visibility caused by night and marginal weather conditions prevented the crew from seeing the mountain, which was considered a contributory factor. Czech authorities confirmed that the flight should normally have been scheduled by CSA, but a CSA crew refused to fly due to poor weather conditions. Consequently, a military crew was engaged for the flight despite lacking training in such weather conditions.