Incident Overview
An aircraft operating a flight from Moscow-Domodedovo Airport to Yakutsk-Intl Airport diverted to Magan Airport after encountering poor weather conditions and visibility below minima at the intended destination.
Sequence of Events
The crew initiated an approach to Magan Airport. The aircraft crossed the runway threshold at a height of 22 meters with a speed of 297 km/h. It then entered a prolonged float phase lasting 22 seconds before touching down 1,647 meters past the runway threshold. For reasons not determined, the captain maintained the aircraft in a nose-up attitude, causing the nose gear to contact the runway nine seconds after the main gear touchdown.
Reverse thrust was not activated during the landing roll. The spoilers were deployed but too late to effectively reduce speed. When the aircraft was 47 meters from the runway end, traveling at 167 km/h, the captain shut down all four engines. The aircraft overran the runway, descended an embankment, and lost its undercarriage. It came to rest 538 meters past the runway end, 3,978 meters from the runway threshold, and 2,331 meters from the initial touchdown point.
Injuries and Damage
Four passengers sustained injuries. The remaining 185 occupants evacuated safely. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause as a poorly planned approach and incorrect approach configuration. Contributing factors include: lack of crew training, first-time landing at Magan Airport for most crew members, marginal weather, failure to comply with crew recommendations, poor crew interaction and instructions, failure to follow standard approach and landing procedures, deviations in aircraft piloting during approach and landing, captain maintaining a nose-up attitude for nine seconds, lack of reverse thrust activation, late spoiler deployment, lack of captain leadership, and failure to initiate a go-around when the landing was obviously missed.