Investigation Summary
The flight was a charter carrying Yugoslav tourists from Tivat to Prague. During the approach to Runway 24 at Ruzyne Airport, the crew encountered thick fog with visibility significantly reduced. Despite the poor conditions, the crew continued a descent that took them into a gorge carved by the Vltava River. The aircraft struck the ground on a hill in the Suchdol district, approximately 9 kilometers from the airport. The impact occurred at an elevation lower than the airport runway, indicating the crew had lost situational awareness regarding their actual altitude relative to the terrain. The crash resulted in the immediate death of 75 people. While 45 people initially survived the impact and were transported to hospitals, four of them later succumbed to their injuries, bringing the final death toll to 79. The rescue was aided by the rapid response of local residents and emergency services in the suburban area.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded the primary cause was Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The flight crew failed to maintain the minimum safe altitude during an instrument approach in weather conditions that were below the required minimums for the airport. A contributing factor was the crew's decision to continue the descent despite not having visual contact with the runway environment, likely exacerbated by the challenging foggy conditions and potential altimeter misinterpretation.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Instrument Landing System (ILS)
The ground-based system intended to provide lateral and vertical guidance; the crew failed to stay on the glide slope.
Altimeter
The crew likely misread or mis-set the pressure settings, leading to an incorrect perception of their height above the terrain.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident is the deadliest aviation crash to occur in the territory of the modern-day Czech Republic.
- 02The crash site was located in a residential area, but no one on the ground was killed.
- 03The aircraft involved, YU-AJO, was photographed in 1973, two years before the accident.
- 04The impact occurred at an elevation approximately 90 meters lower than the airport's runway elevation.
- 05The crash was one of the first major disasters in Czechoslovakia to receive significant international media attention.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Approach Minimums Enforcement
Following the accident, authorities emphasized stricter adherence to weather minimums and missed approach procedures during low visibility conditions at Prague.