Investigation Summary
The accident flight was a corporate charter transporting technical staff and management from the Kazakhmys Group. The aircraft, a 1973-built Antonov An-2P, had previously been operated by the Soviet Ministry of Civil Aviation before being overhauled in 2002 and eventually sold to Olimp Air in 2009. On the day of the accident, the flight had already completed stopovers at Balkhash, Uzynaral, and Aksuyek. During the final leg to the Shatyrkul mine, the region was experiencing significant meteorological challenges, characterized by low clouds and limited visibility. The investigation determined that the crew continued the descent below safe altitudes despite the lack of visual reference to the ground. The sole survivor, Asem Shayakhmetova, reported that most occupants were asleep at the time of impact. Despite suffering multiple fractures, she was able to exit the wreckage and signal for help in the remote, snow-covered terrain.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the crash was a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The primary cause was the flight crew's failure to maintain the minimum safe altitude during a period of worsening weather conditions and limited visibility. Specifically, the crew descended without visual contact with the ground and failed to input the correct local air pressure for the airstrip into the barometric altimeter, leading to an impact 1.2 km short of the landing zone.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Barometric Altimeter
The crew failed to feed the local air pressure of the airstrip into the altimeter, leading to incorrect altitude readings during the final approach in low visibility.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft had a total operating time of 13,227 hours at the time of the crash.
- 02The sole survivor had to dig through one meter of snow to reach a position where she could be rescued.
- 03The aircraft was originally manufactured in Poland by the PZL-Mielec factory in 1973.
- 04At the time of the accident, there were 115 other An-2 aircraft operating in Kazakhstan.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Fleet Airworthiness Review
Following the crash, the Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan announced that the remaining 115 An-2 aircraft in the country could be examined for airworthiness if necessary.