Investigation Summary
The flight originated in Niš, Serbia, with planned technical stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and India. Approximately 33 minutes after departure, while at FL198, the crew noticed a fuel leak in the No. 4 engine (outboard right). They initially decided to return to Niš, but the situation deteriorated rapidly when the engine caught fire during the shutdown process. Despite activating the fire suppression system, the blaze continued to spread along the wing. The crew declared a Mayday and requested an emergency landing at Kavala, Greece. Radar contact was lost at 5,600 feet as the aircraft descended rapidly. The investigation noted that the same airframe had been involved in a ground collision a month prior in Poland, where it struck a light mast, damaging the right wing's leading edge, though the direct link between this previous damage and the fuel leak is a subject of the ongoing investigation.
Final Conclusions
The investigation is currently ongoing. Preliminary observations indicate the accident was triggered by a fuel leak in the No. 4 engine that escalated into an uncontainable fire. It is suspected that the fire compromised the structural integrity or control of the right wing, leading to a loss of altitude. The aircraft struck trees and electrical infrastructure before impacting the ground. All eight crew members, who were Ukrainian nationals, perished in the crash. As of August 2026, the final report from the Hellenic Air Accident Investigation and Aviation Safety Board (AAIASB) is still pending.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Ivchenko AI-20
The turboprop engines powering the An-12; the No. 4 engine suffered the initial fuel leak and fire.
Engine Fire Suppression System
The onboard system used by the crew to attempt to extinguish the No. 4 engine fire, which proved unsuccessful.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was carrying 11.5 tonnes of mortar shells and training missiles destined for the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
- 02Secondary explosions at the crash site continued for nearly two hours, preventing immediate access for emergency responders.
- 03The Greek Atomic Energy Commission was deployed to the site to check for hazardous residues or chemical threats from the munitions.
- 04The airframe was 51 years old at the time of the accident, having first flown in 1971.
- 05A month before the crash, on June 19, 2022, the aircraft had damaged its right wing leading edge in a ground collision in Rzeszów, Poland.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Hazardous Material Exclusion Zone
Greek authorities established a 2km exclusion zone around the crash site and advised residents to stay indoors due to toxic smoke and the risk of unexploded ordnance.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Munitions Destination Speculation
Reference ↗Initial speculation suggested the weapons were destined for Ukraine due to the carrier's nationality, but Serbian and Bangladeshi officials confirmed the cargo was a legitimate purchase for the Bangladesh Middle East defense contracts.