What happened
During a scheduled flight from London to Singapore with an intermediate stop in Istanbul, the crew attempted an approach to runway 24. An initial approach was aborted after the pilot-in-command was unable to identify the runway lighting due to weather conditions. During the subsequent second approach, the aircraft encountered heavy rain, lightning, and significant turbulence.
A brief loss of VHF communication occurred during the descent because of a technical failure in the tower's transmitter, though contact was re-established while the aircraft was performing a procedure turn. As the plane descended to 500 feet, the runway became visible. The pilot executed a minor rightward correction and commanded the deployment of full flaps alongside a reduction in engine power to 20% boost.
Following this power reduction, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly. Although an order for increased power was issued, the left main landing gear impacted the ground 72 meters before reaching the runway threshold. The impact caused the aircraft to bounce, touching down again 14 meters further down the runway. The collapse of the nose and left main gear led to the separation of the number 1 and 2 engines and the detachment of the entire left wing. The fuselage slid 260 meters along the runway, eventually resulting in a fire.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the pilot initiated the full flap configuration and power reduction too early during the final approach. Because of the intense rain and limited visibility, this maneuver prevented precise altitude control. The command to increase engine power was issued too late to prevent the aircraft from undershooting the runway.