Departure and Weather
The aircraft departed Krasnovodsk Airport at 1804 LT. Shortly after takeoff, the crew was informed of weather conditions at the destination, which included a sand storm and visibility limited to 1,000 meters.
En Route and Descent
While cruising at 6,000 meters, weather conditions worsened, and the crew received permission to modify their route. At a distance of 25 km from Ashgabat, the crew began their descent. They reached an altitude of 400 meters when they reported the runway lights in sight.
Unstable Approach and Crash
Shortly later, the airplane became unstable and lost height. It banked left to an angle of 7°, struck power cables and a concrete post. Out of control, the aircraft banked left to 30°, stalled, and crashed in flames 1,012 meters short of the runway threshold.
Occupants and Damage
There were eight crew members and four passengers killed, while 42 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire.
Official Findings
The official probable cause stated that the crew made a wrong decision by continuing the approach in below-minima weather conditions. Additionally, errors by ATC were reported: they cleared the crew to land in below-minima weather and failed to divert the crew to another airport. The information transmitted to the crew regarding destination weather did not reflect the truth, which was considered a contributing factor.