Accident Sequence
The aircraft departed Moscow-Domodedovo Airport on a positioning flight to Bishkek-Manas Airport, where cargo was to be loaded. The water ballast tanks were not filled, causing the center of gravity to be outside allowed limits.
During the approach to runway 26, after passing the outer marker, a 15-second period of oscillations began, with changes in bank angle and heading between 245° and 255°. The aircraft crossed the runway threshold at a height of 30 meters and a speed of 293 km/h, whereas the altitude should have been 15 meters. At a height of 20 meters and speed of 297 km/h, the crew deployed the thrust reversers of engines number 1 and 4. This was contrary to regulations, which stipulate that thrust reversers may only be deployed at the leveling-off altitude of 5-8 meters.
The nose then rose to a 7° pitch angle. This pitch-up was caused by the activation of the thrust reversers and the aft center of gravity. The crew could not counteract the pitch-up with a 13° nose-down elevator application. The aircraft touched down on the main gear wheels 1,395 meters down the 4,200-meter-long runway.
The flight engineer, without informing the pilot in command, shut down engines number 2 and 3. With the elevator deflected 10-11° nose-down and the stabilizer at -3.3°, the crew was still unable to lower the nose gear to the ground. After retracting the thrust reversers and with the elevator deflected 21° nose-down, the nose pitched down from +7° to -2.5° in 2-3 seconds. The stabilizer was then trimmed from -3.3° to +9°, causing the pitch angle to increase again.
The aircraft ran off the left side of the runway 3,001 meters past the runway threshold and continued until colliding with a concrete obstruction. The aircraft caught fire and burned out almost completely.
Investigation and Probable Cause
Official investigation findings identified the probable cause as wrong approach configuration on the part of the flying crew, which caused the airplane to land too far down the runway. Contributing factors included poor crew coordination; the pilot-in-command, who was also the general manager of the company, lacked sufficient training and qualifications for the position; poor crew resource management; and poor flight and approach planning.