What happened
During a nighttime approach to runway 06 at Istanbul-Yeşilköy Airport, the flight crew encountered a total failure of the runway lighting system caused by an electrical power outage. In response to the loss of visibility, the crew performed a go-around procedure. Although electrical power was restored approximately 22 seconds later, the aircraft could not immediately land because a Pan Am Boeing 707 was in the process of departing from the same runway. Air traffic control directed the crew to expand their downwind circuit toward the west.
While operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at an altitude of 800 feet, the aircraft became unstable and lost control. The plane subsequently impacted the surface of the Marmara Sea, roughly 30 km west of the airport. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft and 42 fatalities, with no survivors reported.
Findings
While investigators were unable to establish a definitive cause for the crash, evidence suggests that the pilot may have experienced spatial disorientation. This likely occurred while flying at night under VFR conditions over the water, where a lack of external visual landmarks made it difficult to maintain situational awareness.