What happened
A charter flight, operating as JJ130, was traveling from London-Gatwick Airport to Rijeka, Croatia, when it encountered severe meteorological conditions. The aircraft, a Tupolev Tu-134A, was navigating through heavy rain, turbulence, and cumulonimbus clouds while approaching runway 14. During this phase, the plane experienced an upward surge and a right-side roll, placing it above the ILS glide slope.
Approximately 800 meters from the runway threshold, at an altitude of 60 meters, the crew opted to proceed with the approach despite the weather. The descent angle increased to 10 degrees as engine power was decreased. The aircraft made contact with the runway surface on its right main gear at a speed of 260 km/h, experiencing a deceleration force of 4 g. This impact caused the right wing to separate from the fuselage. The wreckage slid roughly 760 meters before coming to a halt upside down and catching fire. The accident resulted in 78 fatalities, including three crew members and 75 passengers. The aircraft was a total loss.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the primary factor was a heavy landing on the right main landing gear, which was further complicated by an irregular wheel position and a slight runway slope of 0.7% at the touchdown point. While the crew's deviation from standard flight techniques was noted, investigators determined that improperly managed loading forces during the impact contributed more significantly to the destruction than the technique itself. The investigation also suggested that the crew likely suffered from illusions regarding the aircraft's position relative to the runway due to the extreme weather, leading to inadequate control inputs.