Investigation Summary
The flight was originally bound for Skopje but was forced to divert to Ohrid because of severe winter weather. Upon arrival at Ohrid, the aircraft was approximately 2,300 feet too high for a successful landing on Runway 02, prompting the crew to execute a missed approach. During the subsequent maneuvering, the crew reported they were not receiving the VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) signal, which was later confirmed to be unserviceable at the time. Despite the lack of reliable navigational data and poor visibility of the runway lights, the crew continued the approach and turned into rising terrain. The Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) sounded for seven seconds before the aircraft impacted Mount Trojani at an elevation of 4,900 feet, roughly 2,600 feet above the airfield elevation.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the primary cause was pilot error due to a violation of the airport traffic pattern and the decision to proceed with an approach without a valid navigational signal. Contributing factors included the failure of the Ohrid VOR beacon and communication difficulties; the air traffic controller spoke Macedonian, while the crew communicated in Russian and English, leading to potential misunderstandings of critical instructions.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range)
A ground-based short-range radio navigation system; the Ohrid station was unserviceable during the flight.
GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System)
An onboard system that alerts pilots if the aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into the ground; it triggered 7 seconds before impact.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident remains the deadliest aviation disaster in the history of North Macedonia.
- 02The aircraft was a Yakovlev Yak-42D leased from the Russian carrier Saratov Airlines (Saravia).
- 03The VOR beacon at Ohrid Airport was non-functional at the time of the accident.
- 04The flight crew consisted of four Russians, while the cabin crew were Macedonian.
- 05Minister Antoni Pesev resigned following the crash, which was the third major air disaster in Macedonia in 16 months.
Safety Actions & Advisories
ATC Language Standardization
The accident highlighted the dangers of non-standard language use in ATC communications, reinforcing the need for English proficiency in international flight operations.
Infrastructure Review
Following the crash and the resignation of the Communications Minister, Macedonian authorities faced intense pressure to upgrade navigational aids and safety standards at Skopje and Ohrid airports.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Language Barrier Dispute
Reference ↗Macedonian investigators focused on the crew's failure to follow patterns, while Russian prosecutors argued that the air traffic controller's use of Macedonian instead of English or Russian caused a fatal misunderstanding.