Investigation Summary
The aircraft was on an international ferry mission from Vienna, Austria, to Khartoum, Sudan, with planned stopovers in Chișinău and Antalya. It had stopped at Chișinău International Airport to undergo a maintenance program. Following the completion of this maintenance, the flight departed at 22:02 local time for Antalya, carrying 2.3 tons of cargo including vegetable oil and technical equipment. Approximately ten minutes into the flight, the crew reported a failure of the transponder and requested an immediate return to Chișinău. While early reports suggested potential engine problems, the official investigation focused on the transponder failure as the reason for the return. During the return, the crew performed a visual approach in darkness. The investigation determined that the pilots incorrectly evaluated their altitude and descended below the glide path. The aircraft struck an ILS antenna before impacting the ground near the village of Băcioi. The investigation highlighted the crew's lack of experience with night flights as a significant contributing factor to the controlled flight into terrain.
Final Conclusions
The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) concluded that the accident was caused by a premature descent during a night visual approach. Contributing factors included the crew's incorrect evaluation of altitude and their limited experience with night operations. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a severe post-crash fire.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Transponder
A device that emits a response signal when interrogated by radar; its failure prompted the crew to abort the flight.
ILS Antenna
Part of the Instrument Landing System; the aircraft struck this equipment due to its dangerously low altitude on approach.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was carrying 2.3 tons of cargo, including vegetable oil and maintenance equipment.
- 02The flight was a ferry mission originating in Vienna, with a maintenance stopover in Moldova and a planned stop in Antalya before reaching Khartoum.
- 03All eight people on board were killed, comprising four flight crew members and four maintenance technicians.
- 04The occupants consisted of four Moldovan and four Ukrainian citizens.
- 05The crash occurred on the outskirts of the village of Băcioi.
- 06Kata Air Transport was on the European Union's list of banned airlines at the time of the accident.