Accident Sequence
The aircraft was operating an uneventful flight from Nalcik to Leninabad Airport. As the crew initiated the descent, they encountered limited visibility due to low clouds. At an altitude of 3,300 meters, the pilots made several navigational errors, causing the aircraft to deviate 29 kilometers from its prescribed flight path.
Meanwhile, the air traffic controller was unable to determine the aircraft's exact position. Despite this, the controller cleared the crew to descend to 900 meters. While descending at an altitude of 2,523 meters and a speed of 330 km/h, the three-engine airplane struck the slope of Mount Shishtepe, which has an elevation of 2,836 meters. The mountain is located approximately 40 kilometers from Leninabad Airport. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, killing all 21 occupants.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the airplane's deviation from the prescribed flight path resulted from several navigational errors made by the flying crew. Inadequate assistance from the air traffic controller was identified as a contributing factor, as he cleared the crew to descend to 900 meters despite being unaware of the aircraft's exact position. Additional contributing factors included poor flight preparation, inadequate approach planning, and a lack of coordination among the crew.