Investigation Summary
The flight was a non-scheduled international service carrying 98 passengers and 7 crew members. Upon arrival at Aswan, the crew encountered a sandstorm that reduced visibility to approximately 2 to 3 kilometers. After failing to land on two previous attempts, the crew initiated a third approach. During this final attempt, the aircraft banked excessively to the right. The starboard wing struck the left side of the runway, causing it to separate from the fuselage. The resulting fuel spill ignited a massive fire that consumed the aircraft. Only five people survived the impact and subsequent blaze.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the pilot descended below the minimum safe altitude (MSA) without having the runway lights clearly in sight. A significant contributory factor was pilot fatigue, resulting from continuous working hours without adequate rest periods. The combination of environmental stress (the sandstorm) and physiological exhaustion led to the fatal error during the third landing attempt.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Runway Lighting
The pilot failed to establish clear visual contact with the runway lights before descending below the minimum safe altitude.
Starboard Wing
The wing struck the ground during a right bank, leading to structural failure and a catastrophic fuel fire.
Interesting Facts
- 01The flight was transporting Hajj pilgrims from Jeddah to Aswan.
- 02Visibility at the time of the accident was limited to 2-3 kilometers by a sandstorm.
- 03The aircraft involved was an Ilyushin Il-18D, a Soviet-designed turboprop.
- 04There were only five survivors among the 105 people on board.
- 05The accident occurred in total darkness during the early morning hours.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Fatigue Management
The investigation highlighted the dangers of pilot fatigue arising from continuous working hours, reinforcing the need for strict adherence to crew rest requirements.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Dispute Over Mechanical Findings
Reference ↗The Soviet-led technical investigation found no evidence of mechanical failure in the aircraft. However, Egyptian authorities initially rejected these findings and conducted a separate inquiry to explore potential technical malfunctions before the final consensus settled on pilot error and fatigue.