Event
A charter flight operating between Bucharest and Tel Aviv, with an intermediate stop at Nicosia, experienced a progressive loss of engine power while en route. At an altitude of 7,000 meters, approximately 70 kilometers off the coast of Cyprus, the power on engines one, two, and three dropped. Shortly thereafter, at an altitude of 3,100 meters and about 45 kilometers offshore, the fourth engine also lost power.
The flight crew decided to divert to Paphos Airport but ultimately completed a wheels-up landing in a field. All 87 occupants on board evacuated safely. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Crew
The crew members were identified as Virgil Georgescu (pilot), Nicolae Anghel (copilot), Boris Ferderber (navigator), Mircea Trandafir (mechanic), Emilian Rotaru (radio operator), and flight attendants Viorica Huţanu, Elena Frâncu, and Elisabeta Crâşmaru.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be power loss on all four engines in flight.