Investigation Summary
The flight was transporting 35 passengers, including 28 soldiers and 7 support staff, along with 8 crew members. As the aircraft transitioned from instrument to visual approach towards Košice, the crew failed to maintain the required safety altitude. While the ground was snow-covered and temperatures were extreme (-18°C), official METAR data (LZKZ 191930Z) indicated clear atmospheric flight conditions (CAVOK) with visibility greater than 10km and no clouds below 5,000ft. Radar data indicated the aircraft was 3 kilometers off course when it disappeared from screens at 19:38 CET. The crash site was located in a remote, mountainous area where the steep terrain and deep snow significantly hindered rescue efforts. The sole survivor, First Lieutenant Martin Farkaš, managed to call his wife via cellular phone to alert authorities; though some reports place this call around 19:30, it occurred in the immediate aftermath of the impact.
Final Conclusions
The official commission of inquiry concluded the accident was caused by the crew's loss of situational and vertical orientation. Specifically, the pilots failed to set the radio altimeter during the approach and underestimated the height of the terrain in the immediate vicinity of the airport. The investigation confirmed there were no technical malfunctions with the aircraft; the disaster was a result of premature descent into dark, mountainous terrain while attempting to navigate toward the lights of Košice.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Radio Altimeter
Investigators found the crew failed to properly set or utilize the radio altimeter during the transition to a visual approach.
Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR)
Analysis of the flight data confirmed the aircraft was functioning normally and the descent was initiated too early by the crew.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was 3 kilometers off the flight path at the time of the crash.
- 02Atmospheric conditions were clear (CAVOK) with visibility over 10km, though ground temperatures were -18C with heavy snow cover.
- 03The sole survivor was found in the aircraft's lavatory, which was the only section not destroyed by fire.
- 04The aircraft was manufactured on 31 October 1969 in the Soviet Union (MSN 97305605).
- 05The crash site was only 3 kilometers from the Slovak border and 20 kilometers from the destination airport.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Memorialization and Bilateral Cooperation
Source ↗Following the accident, the Slovak and Hungarian governments collaborated on extensive memorial efforts, including the construction of a 4.5 million koruna monument in Hejce. This served to reinforce military cooperation and honor the KFOR mission participants.
Operational Review of Aging Fleet
The investigation highlighted the necessity of strict adherence to safety altitudes and the proper configuration of radio altimeters during transitions to visual approaches, leading to renewed emphasis on situational awareness training within the Slovak Air Force.