Accident Overview
On July 16, 2022, at 19:47 UTC, an Antonov An-12B aircraft, registered UR-CIC and operated by Meridian Aircompany (Ukraine), crashed while performing commercial cargo flight MEM 3032 from Niš, Serbia, to Amman, Jordan. During the flight over the Athens Flight Information Region, the crew reported a fire on the fourth engine and decided to divert to Kavala Airport, Greece. Subsequently, communication was lost, and the aircraft disappeared from radar screens. All eight crew members, all Ukrainian citizens, died in the accident.
Investigation Activities
Under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Chicago Convention, the National Bureau of Air Accidents Investigation of Ukraine (NBTSA) appointed an accredited representative and advisors to participate in the investigation. On August 9, 2022, NBTSA completed its participation in the field phase of the investigation at the invitation of the Greek Air Accident Investigation and Aviation Safety Board (AAIASB). The Ukrainian delegation included experts from NBTSA and Meridian Aircompany.
On July 22, Ukrainian experts, led by the accredited representative, arrived in Kavala and joined the AAIASB investigation group. During their stay in Greece, the international team conducted the following activities:
- Met with the Consul of Ukraine, Kavala police leadership, and Hellenic Armed Forces personnel.
- Participated in the identification of the deceased Ukrainian crew members, completed relevant documentation, and organized logistics for repatriation of remains to Ukraine.
- Organized and conducted the first phase of the field investigation, working at the accident site for several days.
- Divided the area around the accident site into sectors to search for physical evidence, with military assistance, and thoroughly examined each sector.
- Performed inspection, photography, and video documentation of wreckage with GPS coordinates, and preliminary examination of aircraft debris.
- Conducted aerial photography of the site using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
- Initiated evacuation of aircraft wreckage, marking important parts with special markers, and transporting them to a location for detailed examination.
- Documented the position of wreckage and ground damage, established the aircraft's direction and trajectory before impact and during breakup, and examined fire patterns.
- Inspected the Universal Avionics AR120 cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and coordinated measures for further search of the BUR-SL-1 flight data recorder (FDR). Consultations were held to select a laboratory for reading and decoding the black boxes.
- A protocol was signed by the Greek investigator-in-charge and the Ukrainian accredited representative.
To protect physical evidence from damage and destruction, a written agreement was signed between the investigator-in-charge and the accredited representative for the removal and transport of aircraft wreckage and other evidence to a hangar on a military base.
During the evacuation of wreckage to the storage and examination site, the Ukrainian delegation returned to Ukraine to gather information on the airworthiness of An-12B UR-CIC, the operator's activities, and regulatory oversight.
In memory of the deceased, members of the Ukrainian delegation placed flowers and lit candles at the accident site, one for each crew member.