What happened
On 25 December 2012, an Air Bagan Ltd Fokker 100, registration XY-AGC, was performing a scheduled flight from Mandalay to Heho Airport. The flight was carrying 65 passengers and 6 crew members at the time of the accident. While executing a non-precision NDB approach to runway 36, the aircraft was descending through 6,000 feet.
As the aircraft neared the runway threshold, the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) issued several altitude alerts. In response to these warnings, the pilot in command initiated an altitude hold maneuver. However, during the final stages of the approach, the aircraft struck power lines, trees, and telephone cables before colliding with the terrain approximately 0.7 NM from the runway threshold. The impact caused both wings to separate and triggered a significant post-crash fire.
Despite the intensity of the fire, an emergency evacuation was conducted. The accident resulted in 1 fatality among the aircraft occupants, while 70 individuals on board survived. Additionally, one motorcyclist on the ground was killed in the incident. The aircraft was destroyed by the subsequent fire.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified that the aircraft descended below the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) during the final approach. It was determined that the flight crew failed to adhere to the operator's standard operating procedures. Furthermore, the pilots failed to implement corrective actions when transitioning from visual meteorological conditions to instrument meteorological conditions during adverse weather. Contributing factors included a lack of risk assessment regarding pilot roles and potential pressure to maintain the arrival sequence.