Investigation Summary
The flight was a charter service from Khujand to Sharjah. During the descent into Sharjah, the aircraft encountered two distinct areas of turbulence. While passing through 3,460 feet, the crew was cleared by Dubai ATC to descend to 1,500 feet. The crew reached this altitude approximately 15 kilometers from the runway but failed to report reaching it to Sharjah Approach. During a right turn for final approach at 400 km/h, the aircraft's angle of attack alarm sounded at 820 feet. The captain attempted to correct the pitch, but a second encounter with turbulence at 690 feet caused further complications. Realizing they were dangerously low, the captain requested an increase in engine power, but the aircraft struck the desert floor 13 kilometers short of the runway and disintegrated.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded the primary cause was Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) resulting from pilot error. Contributing factors included the crew's failure to follow published approach procedures, lack of mutual cross-checks, and inadequate crew coordination. Environmental factors such as night conditions and turbulence, combined with crew fatigue and self-induced stress, led to the unintentional descent below the assigned altitude.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Angle of Attack Alarm
Triggered at 820 feet, alerting the crew that the aircraft was approaching a stall or had an excessive pitch angle.
Altimeter
The crew failed to monitor the altimeter effectively, leading to a descent below the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA).
Interesting Facts
- 01The sole survivor was the flight navigator, 37-year-old Sergei Petrov.
- 02One passenger initially survived the impact but died later in a hospital.
- 03The aircraft was a Tupolev Tu-154B-1 manufactured in 1978.
- 04The crash occurred approximately 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) east of Sharjah Airport.
- 05Nineteen victims were so severely burned they could not be identified and were buried in a mass grave.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Crew Resource Management (CRM) Emphasis
The investigation highlighted the critical need for mutual cross-checks and adherence to approach briefings to prevent altitude deviations.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Explosion Allegation
Reference ↗The president of the Tajikistan State Air Company claimed an explosion occurred on board prior to the crash, but investigators found no evidence to support this theory.