What happened
During the descent toward Mergui Airport, the flight crew encountered challenging meteorological conditions characterized by heavy rainfall. As the aircraft was on short final approach, it lost necessary altitude and collided with the terrain approximately 250 meters before reaching the threshold of runway 18.
The force of the impact caused the undercarriage to be detached from the airframe. Following the initial collision, the aircraft slid for several dozen meters before coming to a stop inside a 1.2-meter-deep excavation situated near the runway approach.
The accident resulted in eight fatalities and left 16 passengers with serious injuries.
Findings
- The crew was operating in heavy rain and poor weather conditions during the approach phase.
- The aircraft struck the ground prior to reaching the runway threshold.