Investigation Summary
The Fokker F28, named 'Van', had spent the night parked in the open at İzmir. Meteorological data indicated temperatures of 0°C and 95% humidity, conditions highly conducive to frost formation. During the morning walk-around, the crew did not notice the frost accretion on the upper wing surfaces. The airframe had recently undergone maintenance by Dutch technicians in Istanbul following a series of technical issues, including an incident where a cabin door opened mid-flight during a departure from Van Ferit Melen Airport. During the takeoff roll on Runway 35, the aircraft became airborne after approximately 3,200 feet. Flight data showed the aircraft reached 133 KIAS before the speed dropped to 124 KIAS as it veered left. The investigation concluded that the aerodynamic degradation caused by the frost, exacerbated by the pilot's decision to rotate the aircraft to an out-of-limit angle of attack, led to an immediate stall. The aircraft struck a drainage ditch bank 28 meters from the runway, causing the fuselage to disintegrate and catch fire. While the cockpit and tail sections remained relatively intact, the main cabin was consumed by a fire that airport services were ill-equipped to handle.
Final Conclusions
The official cause was a stall during takeoff resulting from the combined effects of frost accretion on the wings and an excessive angle of attack during rotation. The investigation also noted that the airport's fire-fighting facilities were inadequate for a large-scale aircraft fire, which contributed to the high fatality rate. Although later reports revealed the presence of alcohol in the blood of the captain and flight engineer, official government reviews of the archives concluded this was not a contributing factor to the accident's mechanics.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain (İlhan Günaydın)
Former Air Force pilot with 2,600 military hours. Total hours include 1,903 on F-27 and 577 on F-28.
First Officer (Kaya Günelgin)
Former Air Force pilot; 2,794 hours were in military aircraft.
Systems & Failure Modes
Wings / Airfoil
Frost accretion on the upper surfaces disrupted airflow, significantly reducing lift and increasing the stall speed.
Flight Data Recorder
A Sundstrand FA-542 unit that provided critical data on airspeed, heading, and the duration of the flight.
Cockpit Voice Recorder
The unit was defective, producing only a whizzing sound, which hindered the investigation into crew coordination.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft had flown 2,269 hours over 3,133 cycles prior to the accident.
- 02The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was found to be defective and contained no usable audio data.
- 03A flight instructor traveling as a passenger survived and reported the aircraft rotated too early.
- 04Post-accident inspections of another F28 parked overnight in similar conditions confirmed significant frost accumulation.
- 05The drainage ditch that the aircraft struck was located only 28 meters from the runway edge.
- 06The official death toll of 67 includes a flight attendant who succumbed to her injuries in December 1975, nearly two years after the crash.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Airport Infrastructure Review
The investigation highlighted that the drainage ditch's proximity to the runway and the inadequate fire-fighting equipment at Cumaovası contributed to the severity of the crash.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Crew Sobriety Allegations
Reference ↗In 1990, former officials and news reports claimed autopsies found alcohol in the blood of the captain and flight engineer. While the Turkish Ministry of Transport later confirmed the presence of alcohol in the archives, they maintained it was not a contributing factor to the accident.