Accident Overview
On a cargo flight from Ras al-Khaimah to Mykolaiv, an aircraft carrying eight crew members and a consignment of miscellaneous goods, including a few tons of watermelons, suffered a crash shortly after departure. The accident occurred at night after takeoff from runway 34.
Flight Sequence
The takeoff speed was 235 km/h. The aircraft ascended to 150 meters at 365 km/h and then reached 160 meters at 400 km/h. During the climb, the crew executed a five-step flap retraction. Immediately after the flaps were raised, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent with a vertical speed of 12 meters per second. It impacted the sea at 485 km/h about 16 kilometers from the airport and 800 meters offshore. The aircraft disintegrated upon impact, and all eight occupants died.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the aircraft was overweight for the prevailing conditions. It was overloaded by 15 to 25 tons compared to the actual flight conditions and by 13 to 23 tons relative to the maximum takeoff weight specified in the manuals. Additionally, the outside air temperature was +37°C, which degraded climb and flight performance. These factors were identified as the probable cause of the accident.