What happened
During a flight originating from Dnepropetrovsk, the crew began their approach to Mineralnye Vody Airport as daylight was fading. Due to difficulty identifying the runway, the captain performed a go-around. An attempt to divert to Stavropol Airport followed, but air traffic control reported visibility of only 300 metres. Despite the actual visibility being 700 metres, which would have permitted a landing, the crew proceeded with a second approach to Mineralnye Vody.
After a second go-around maneuver, the pilot opted to divert to Armavir Airport. While on final approach, all three engines of the aircraft failed at once because of fuel exhaustion. The pilot managed to perform an emergency touchdown in an orchard located approximately 1,745 metres before the runway threshold. Although the aircraft sustained damage beyond repair, there were no fatalities among the 29 occupants, and everyone escaped without injury.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified several contributing factors:
- The crew's flight planning was inadequate, as they departed Dnepropetrovsk with a fuel supply that did not account for the necessity of two missed approaches and a diversion.
- Air traffic control provided incorrect visibility data regarding Stavropol Airport, stating it was 300 metres when it was actually 700 metres.