What happened
During the final approach phase toward Khost Airport, a three-engine airplane descended below the necessary safety altitude. While performing the short final maneuver, the aircraft made contact with treetops situated approximately 154 meters before reaching the threshold of runway 24.
Following the impact with the vegetation, the plane experienced a loss of altitude and experienced a heavy landing. Despite the severity of the impact, the crew managed to bring the aircraft to a complete stop without further incident. While there were no injuries reported among those on board, the structural damage sustained during the collision was so extensive that the aircraft was declared a total loss.
Findings
Investigations into the event determined that the flight crew was operating at an altitude insufficient to clear existing obstacles during their approach to the airport.