The four engine airplane was engaged in a round trip from Incirlik AFB via Sinop, Erzurum and Erzincan. On the leg from Erzurum to Erzincan, while cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and disintegrated in a snow covered field located in Gevenlik, about 68 km northeast of Erzincan Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 27 occupants were killed.
Probable cause (official findings): It was determined that the engine n°4 detached in flight, hitting the engine n°3 and the wingtip fuel tank. This caused the wing to detach as well and the airplane became uncontrollable. It is believed that the engine n° 4 engine detached due to the loss of a nut. The force created by the vibrations caused the engine spar to brake off. The reason of the nut missing could not be determined.