What happened
During a flight from Bombay at an altitude of 33,000 feet, the crew requested updated weather information from Dubai air traffic control. The reported conditions included visibility of 10 km and cloud cover at 2,000 feet. While approaching via radial 084, the controllers advised that descent could begin at 19:55 local time. However, at 19:49 local time, the crew requested to begin their descent, believing they were only 95 nautical miles from Dubai when they were actually 162 nautical miles away.
After receiving clearance to descend to 4,000 feet and selecting Runway 30 for a direct approach, the pilots began their descent under night conditions. During this phase, the captain mistakenly identified the lights of Fujairah as the city of Dubai. Despite facing difficulties tuning into the NDB frequency, the descent continued. At an altitude of 1,600 feet, the aircraft type struck a mountain slope approximately 92 kilometers east of Dubai Airport. The impact caused the plane to disintegrate, resulting in 112 fatalities. The passengers and crew included individuals from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and West Germany.
Findings
Investigations concluded that while weather conditions were not severe, nighttime clouds and reduced visibility hindered the crew's ability to recognize ground landmarks. The descent began prematurely due to a combination of errors in the flight plan, outdated information, or misinterpretations of weather radar settings. Furthermore, a series of navigational errors caused the aircraft to deviate significantly from the intended approach path for Runway 30, placing the wreckage 33 kilometers north of the trajectory. The crew's visual confusion between the cities of Dubai and Fujairah also contributed to the accident.