Investigation Summary
The flight was a non-scheduled international service that had departed Cairo and completed a stopover in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. On the final leg to Aden, the crew was cleared for a visual approach to runway 08. During this maneuver, the aircraft deviated from the safe approach path and flew into the rugged terrain of the Aden Crater. The impact occurred at Jebel Shamsan (12.7656 N, 45.0169 E), a prominent mountain peak rising above the city of Aden. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a subsequent fire. At the time, it was the deadliest aviation accident in the history of South Yemen.
Final Conclusions
The accident was classified as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The aircraft struck the mountain while under the active control of the crew during a visual approach. All 30 occupants, including 21 passengers and 9 crew members, perished in the crash.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Visual Approach Procedures
A procedure where the pilot operates the aircraft using visual reference to the terrain to navigate to the runway, requiring the pilot to maintain clearance from obstacles.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was leased from the Yugoslavian carrier Inex-Adria Airways.
- 02The aircraft's Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) was 47503.
- 03The crash site was Jebel Shamsan, an extinct volcano and the highest point in the area.
- 04The accident is the deadliest civil aviation disaster in Yemen's history.
- 05It is the second deadliest aviation accident overall in Yemen, surpassed only by the 2009 crash of Yemenia Flight 626.
- 06The flight was operating as a non-scheduled international charter service.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Visual Approach Awareness
The accident highlighted the risks of visual approaches in mountainous terrain, particularly at night or in marginal weather, reinforcing the need for strict adherence to minimum safe altitudes until established on a stabilized final approach path.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Marginal Weather Conditions
While the crew was cleared for a visual approach, some reports suggest that weather conditions at the time were marginal, raising questions about the appropriateness of a visual approach versus an instrument-based procedure in the vicinity of Jebel Shamsan.