What happened
A cargo operation traveling from Yekaterinburg to Malta via Belgrade and Luqa ended in a fatal accident during the night. The aircraft, which was transporting a shipment of squibs and aircraft tires, was carrying a total of 10 crew members and two passengers at the time of the incident.
After departing from Belgrade-Surčin Airport, the flight crew notified air traffic control of significant technical difficulties, specifically reporting a total loss of electrical power. The aircraft entered a holding pattern that lasted approximately 2.5 hours while the crew managed the situation.
As the crew attempted to execute a landing, they encountered low visibility caused by adverse weather. During the short final phase of the approach, the aircraft struck the ground approximately 800 meters before reaching the runway. The impact caused the aircraft to burst into flames. There were 12 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
The investigation into the crash highlights that the aircraft was operating without headlights during the final approach due to the aforementioned electrical failure, which contributed to the impact during low-visibility conditions.