Night Approach Accident Near Isparta Airport (TC-AKM)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence The aircraft departed Istanbul-Atatürk Airport at 0051LT on a scheduled service to Isparta, carrying 50 passengers and 7 crew members. After being cleared for a VOR/DME approach to Isparta Airport runway 05, the crew was required to fly over the IPT VOR and then follow a 223° heading. However, the crew failed to input the arrival procedures into the FMS and began the approach at night over rising terrain. The EGPWS did not activate, and the crew did not recognize that the aircraft's altitude was insufficient. The aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a mountainous area near Çukurören, approximately 12 km west of Isparta Airport. The aircraft was destroyed, and all 57 occupants were killed. ## Official Findings The investigation identified several contributing factors. The crew failed to follow published procedures and standard operating procedures. The EGPWS system failed to activate and warn the crew of insufficient altitude. The EGPWS had failed 86 times during the last 235 flights and had been removed from another aircraft to be installed on TC-AKM 10 days before the accident. Nighttime conditions limited visibility. The CVR system was unserviceable, and the DFDR system was partially unserviceable, recording only the last 15 minutes of flight. The investigation also noted a lack of crew training: the captain completed only 20 of the required 32 hours of training, while the copilot completed a 32-hour training program in Sofia that was not documented. A probable lack of situational awareness on the part of the crew was also identified.