What happened
Following a flight from Bahrain, a four-engine aircraft was offloaded at Kabul Airport before commencing a short-distance mission to Bagram Air Force Base. The flight was tasked with transporting telecommunications equipment intended for the United States Armed Forces. Shortly after departing Kabul, the crew transitioned to a new frequency and established contact with Bagram Airbase.
Due to existing air traffic congestion at Bagram, air traffic controllers directed the crew to maintain a holding pattern at 10,000 feet, positioned approximately 10 nautical miles south of the airfield. During the subsequent descent, the aircraft encountered hazy conditions. While maneuvering, the plane struck a mountain slope in the vicinity of Kōh-e Khāk-e Shahīdān, located roughly 28.6 km northwest of Kabul. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate. All eight occupants on board perished in the accident. The wreckage was located at an elevation of 2,120 meters.
Findings
At the time of the accident, visibility was reported to be approximately 5 km, characterized by haze. Additionally, cloud ceilings were present at 1,200 feet. The impact with terrain during the descent into the mountainous region was the primary event leading to the destruction of the aircraft.