Investigation Summary
The flight was characterized by significant crew indecision regarding weather conditions at Sochi. After initially deciding to return to Yerevan due to low visibility, the crew reversed their decision when updated weather reports suggested conditions were just above minima. During the final approach to Runway 06, the weather deteriorated again. The controller instructed the crew to abort the landing and climb to 600 meters. During this maneuver, the captain disengaged the autopilot and, likely suffering from somatogravic illusion in the darkness, pushed the side-stick forward. The aircraft entered a steep descent that the crew failed to recognize until it was too late. The investigation highlighted a 'spiral of wrath' where the crew's frustration with ATC and the weather conditions degraded their CRM and emotional stability.
Final Conclusions
The Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) concluded the crash was a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) caused by the captain's incorrect nose-down control inputs during a climbing maneuver at night. Contributing factors included the captain's psycho-emotional stress, the first officer's failure to monitor flight parameters, and the crew's lack of reaction to EGPWS 'TERRAIN AHEAD' and 'PULL UP' warnings. In the final seconds, a critical breakdown in CRM occurred as the First Officer attempted to pull up while the Captain continued to push down, resulting in a 'dual input' conflict that prevented recovery.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
EGPWS
Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System; provided multiple 'PULL UP' alerts that were not acted upon by the crew.
Autopilot
Disengaged by the captain during the go-around, leading to manual flight in high-stress, low-visibility conditions.
Side-stick
The Airbus flight control interface; the captain's inputs were contradictory to the required flight path.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a 10-year-old Airbus A320 previously operated by Ansett Australia.
- 02The crash occurred in total darkness over the sea, providing no visual horizon for the pilots.
- 03The captain made continuous nose-down inputs on the side-stick during what should have been a climb.
- 04The crew ignored multiple EGPWS warnings during the final 20 seconds of flight.
- 05The wreckage was located at a depth of approximately 700 meters on the seabed.
Safety Actions & Advisories
CRM Training Enhancement
Recommendations were made to improve Crew Resource Management training, specifically focusing on stress management and monitoring during go-around maneuvers.
ATC Procedure Standardization
The investigation suggested clarifying ATC weather reporting procedures to prevent crew confusion during critical approach phases.