Investigation Summary
The flight was operating in extreme winter conditions, described as the worst snowstorm in five years. As the aircraft approached Kabul, it was cleared for a VOR/DME approach to runway 29. Radar contact was lost shortly after the crew reported reaching flight level 130. The wreckage was not located until three days later by an ISAF helicopter, resting on the summit of Mt. Shapiri Ghar. The recovery operation was a massive multi-national effort involving the Afghan National Army and ISAF forces, who had to contend with waist-deep snow, freezing fog, and the threat of Soviet-era landmines. Investigators found that the aircraft struck the ridge just 50 feet below the crest. While the flight data recorder was recovered, it was found to be blank due to a technical failure, and the cockpit voice recorder was never found. This lack of data left investigators unable to determine why the crew descended below the safety altitude of 13,000 feet.
Final Conclusions
The Civil Aviation Operation of the Ministry of Transport of Afghanistan concluded in its 2006 final report that the probable cause was a premature descent below the minimum assigned altitude of 13,000 feet. The aircraft did not proceed to the VOR as instructed and descended before being established on any segment of the approach. The specific reason for this descent could not be determined due to the absence of CVR and FDR data.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Flight Data Recorder (FDR)
The device was recovered but was found to be blank, providing no information on the aircraft's flight path or mechanical state.
VOR/DME Approach
A non-precision approach procedure that the crew failed to follow correctly, descending below the minimum altitude before reaching the VOR.
Interesting Facts
- 01The crash is the deadliest aviation accident in the history of Afghanistan.
- 02The aircraft was leased from Phoenix Aviation, a company based in Sharjah, UAE, and registered in Kyrgyzstan.
- 03The crash site was located at an altitude of approximately 9,960 feet (3,035 meters).
- 04The flight data recorder was recovered but contained no valid data due to a technical failure.
- 05The cockpit voice recorder was never recovered from the debris field.
Safety Actions & Advisories
EU Blacklist
Following the investigation, the European Union placed Phoenix Aviation on its blacklist of carriers banned from operating within the EU due to safety concerns.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Regulatory Oversight and Flags of Convenience
Reference ↗The accident highlighted concerns regarding 'flags of convenience' in aviation, where airlines lease aircraft from countries with weak safety oversight. Phoenix Aviation was registered in Kyrgyzstan but operated out of the UAE, leading to criticisms of the Afghan government's lack of oversight.
Location
APPROXIMATE POSITION · AIRPORT LEVEL · Coordinates are the estimate published in the entered by an editor. The ring shows the accuracy the record supports, not the point of impact.