What happened
On a scheduled flight from Baku-Heydar Aliyev (Bina) Airport to Grozny, an aircraft carrying 62 passengers and five crew members encountered significant weather challenges. After two unsuccessful landing attempts in Grozny and a diversion to Makhachelse, the flight was redirected to Aktau, Kazakhstan, due to poor visibility.
During the final approach to Runway 11 at Aktau Airport, the aircraft began a sharp descent and rolled to the right. The plane struck an open field approximately 3 km before reaching the runway, subsequently catching fire. The accident resulted in 38 fatalities and 29 survivors. Among the deceased were both pilots, while three members of the cabin crew survived the impact.
Findings
Observations of the wreckage and flight data suggest several points of interest. Visual evidence from videos of the crash site indicated unusual impacts on the tail section and the unexpected opening of a trim tab door on the rear right side of the fuselage. There are unresolved questions regarding whether an emergency squawk 7700 was activated while the plane was over the Caspian Sea, as well as reports of erratic maneuvering in the final minutes of flight. While the possibility of hostile action has not been dismissed, it is noted that Russian Air Defense Systems were active in the region at the time, engaged in repelling drone attacks over Ukraine.