What happened
During an international flight route originating in London and destined for Kabul, the aircraft experienced a significant delay at its stopover in Beirut. This delay followed technical difficulties identified after the plane arrived from Frankfurt, leading to a departure postponement of approximately 20 hours.
Shortly after taking off from runway 18, the aircraft type entered its initial climb phase. Approximately two minutes into the ascent, the plane collided with the terrain at Mt Aramoun, situated roughly 5 km south of the airport. The impact caused the aircraft to burst into flames. Of the occupants on board, there were 24 fatalities and 3 serious injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing elements related to flight path deviation and engine issues. The pilot failed to execute a necessary right-hand turn at the appropriate time, potentially due to distraction or oversight. This navigational error was compounded by an indication of fire in the number one engine. The subsequent attempt to manage this engine emergency led to a decrease in both the rate of climb and the effectiveness of the turn, ultimately resulting in the collision with the mountain slope.