Fatal mountain collision during flight in adverse weather

3 fatalities • Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan • Flight

An aircraft crashed into a mountainside while operating under visual flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in three fatalities.

What happened

During the flight, the weather environment deteriorated significantly due to the onset of rain showers and a lowering cloud ceiling. In response to these changing conditions, the crew made the decision to abort the current mission and return to the point of departure. However, during this diversion, the aircraft drifted away from its intended flight path.

While the crew was operating the aircraft under visual flight rules (VFR) despite being inside instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the plane impacted a mountain slope. The collision caused the aircraft to burst into flames upon impact. There were three fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.

Findings

Investigations into the accident determined that the primary factor was the decision to maintain VFR flight procedures while flying through IMC conditions, which led to the controlled flight into terrain.

Probable cause

The crew continued to operate under visual flight rules despite encountering instrument meteorological conditions, leading to a collision with terrain.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1985-06-01 PZL-Mielec AN-2 accident near Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan?

An aircraft crashed into a mountainside while operating under visual flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in three fatalities.

Were there any fatalities in the 1985-06-01 PZL-Mielec AN-2 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 3 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1985-06-01 involved a PZL-Mielec AN-2, registration CCCP-70771, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, at Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan.

What was the probable cause of the accident?