What happened
During a flight originating from Nalcik, the crew began their approach toward Leninabad Airport. As the aircraft descended, the pilots encountered low cloud cover that significantly restricted visibility. During this phase of the flight, the aircraft experienced several navigational inaccuracies, which caused it to drift 29 km away from its intended route.
At an altitude of 3,300 meters, the air traffic controller was unable to confirm the precise location of the plane but authorized a descent to 900 meters. While traveling at a speed of 330 km/h and at an altitude of 2,523 meters, the three-engine aircraft collided with the side of Mt Shishtepe, which has an elevation of 2,836 meters. The impact occurred approximately 40 km from the destination airport, causing the plane to break apart. There were 21 fatalities and no survivors.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the primary cause was the aircraft's deviation from its assigned flight path following multiple navigational mistakes by the crew. Several secondary factors contributed to the disaster, including inadequate flight preparation and insufficient approach planning. Additionally, a lack of coordination among the crew members was noted. The actions of air traffic control were also scrutinized, as the controller permitted the descent to 900 meters without having certain knowledge of the aircraft's actual position.