Accident Overview
On the day of the accident, the crew departed Yerevan Airport at 0513 local time for a meteorological survey mission. The aircraft performed several maneuvers between 3,500 and 5,000 meters in cloudy conditions over the region of Lake Sevan. Following an uneventful mission, the crew decided to return to Yerevan and started a descent from the northeast. At an altitude of 3,160 meters, the aircraft struck the east slope of Mount Kara-Dag, which rises to 3,231 meters. The mountain is located approximately 12 kilometers west of the village of Tsaghkachen. Rescuers reached the site one day later, and all six occupants were found to have been killed.
Investigation
The investigation determined that at the time of impact, the aircraft was about 18 kilometers off course due to strong winds. It was reported that the crew failed to prepare the mission according to established procedures and miscalculated the flight trajectory. Additionally, the crew did not receive any information about the wind component prior to the flight. The investigation also found that the crew failed to use the ADF (Automatic Direction Finder) system properly, which was considered a contributory factor. While cruising in clouds, the pilots were unable to visually distinguish the mountain that the aircraft struck.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause stated that the aircraft was off course due to strong winds, the crew failed to prepare the mission according to procedures and miscalculated the flight trajectory, the crew did not receive wind component information prior to the flight, and the crew failed to use the ADF system properly, which was considered contributory. While cruising in clouds, the pilots were unable to distinguish the mountain.