Investigation Summary
The accident was precipitated by a total electrical failure at Istanbul Yeşilköy Airport at 18:39 local time, precisely as Flight 345 was touching down. This failure disabled the runway lighting system, prompting the crew to immediately execute a missed approach. Although the airport's emergency generator restored power 22 seconds later, the crew had already committed to the go-around. The pilot opted to remain under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at a low altitude of approximately 240 meters (790 feet). During the subsequent maneuvering, Air Traffic Control (ATC) requested the flight to extend its downwind leg to accommodate another departing aircraft. In the rainy and windy conditions, the crew likely lost situational awareness or altitude control, leading the aircraft to impact the sea. The lack of immediate wreckage recovery hindered the initial investigation, and it was not until 2009 that a significant piece of the fuselage was found by a fishing trawler.
Final Conclusions
The accident is classified as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). Contributing factors included the sudden loss of airport lighting at a critical phase of landing, the decision to conduct a low-altitude VFR circuit in inclement weather, and the increased workload caused by ATC instructions to extend the traffic pattern. The combination of darkness, poor weather, and low-level maneuvering over water likely resulted in spatial disorientation or an undetected loss of altitude.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
A 50-YEAR-OLD SECRET! The Tragic Story of Turkish Airlines Flight 345 — A detailed look at the 1975 crash of the Fokker F28 'Bursa' into the Sea of Marmara following a power outage at Istanbul's airport.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Airport Lighting System
The primary runway lights failed due to a power cut, forcing the initial go-around.
Emergency Generator
The backup system restored power to the airport 22 seconds after the failure, but the aircraft had already climbed away.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft had accumulated 3,713 flying hours and 5,062 flight cycles at the time of the accident.
- 02The airport power failure occurred at the exact moment of the first touchdown.
- 03The wreckage was not located for several years, and the main body of the aircraft remains on the sea floor.
- 04A 3x3 meter section of the rear fuselage was accidentally recovered by shrimp fishermen in March 2009.
- 05The weather at the time of the accident was reported as rainy and windy.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Airport Power Redundancy
Modern aviation standards now require near-instantaneous switchover to backup power (typically within 1 second for Category II/III operations) to prevent lighting interruptions during critical phases of flight.