What happened
On the evening of October 19, a four-engine transport aircraft departed from Ayni Air Base (also known as Gissar Air Base), situated west of Dushanbe, for a scheduled transport mission. The aircraft was operated with a crew of eight people on board. During the initial climb phase, the crew identified a fire in the number four engine and requested permission to return to the airfield.
To manage the emergency, the aircraft circled the vicinity for several minutes to perform a fuel dump. The flight subsequently returned to the airfield and landed on runway 08/26 shortly after midnight on October 20. Following touchdown, the aircraft veered off the runway and entered a grassy area, where it subsequently caught fire. Although the aircraft was totally destroyed by the flames, all eight crew members managed to evacuate the wreckage without injury.
Findings
- The primary emergency was triggered by an engine fire involving the number four engine during the climb following takeoff.