Accident
On the day of the accident, the Aeroflot Antonov AN-24 departed from Kutaisi Airport. According to published procedures, the crew was required to climb to an altitude of 2,400 meters after takeoff. However, because another aircraft—an Aeroflot Antonov AN-24—was approaching a different airport in Kutaisi, air traffic control (ATC) instructed the crew to maintain an altitude of 300 meters after departure.
A few minutes after takeoff, while cruising in bad weather conditions, the crew failed to switch from visual flight rules (VFR) to instrument flight rules (IFR) mode. In restricted visibility, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located approximately 47 kilometers west of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed, and all 14 occupants were killed.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident was the consequence of poor ATC assistance and radar coverage of the region, as well as a lack of ATC coordination in the Kutaisi Airport area control center. At the time of the accident, ATC was unaware of the lack of visibility due to poor weather conditions. Additionally, lack of discipline, poor work organization, and violations of procedures were cited as contributing factors.