What happened
The incident involved a cargo flight operating between Stalinabad and Tashkent, with an intermediate stop scheduled at Leninabad. The aircraft was transporting a mixed load consisting of tires, construction materials, ropes, and tins. During the leg from Jizzhak to Leninabad, the crew initiated a descent through dense cloud cover. Unaware that strong winds had pushed the aircraft off its intended track, the flight path deviated significantly. At an altitude of approximately 700 meters, the airframe struck the western slope of a peak in the Mogol-Tau Mountain Range, located roughly 31 kilometers from Leninabad. Rescue teams reached the crash site the following day. They successfully evacuated one injured crew member, while four other occupants were confirmed dead.
Findings
The official investigation attributed the accident to a complex combination of operational and administrative failures. Key contributing factors included the captain's violation of established rules and poor decision-making regarding weather conditions. The report highlighted significant deficiencies in flight planning and traffic management, as well as a lack of adequate guidance during the flight despite deteriorating weather along the route. Furthermore, the investigation cited inadequate control of flight operations and a lack of professionalism by the Stalinabad AMSC, which provided inaccurate weather forecasts that were worse than predicted. Additional systemic issues included the failure to provide appropriate radio equipment in Leninabad and a general lack of leadership and accurate instructions from regional aviation authorities.