Investigation Summary
The approach to Tashkent was conducted in darkness and dense fog, with a vertical visibility of only 60 meters. Approximately 12.5 km from the airport, the crew allowed the aircraft to descend below the glideslope, eventually leveling off at 170 meters. They maintained this altitude too long, resulting in the aircraft being significantly above the glideslope by the time they reached the outer marker. Despite being 30 to 40 meters above the runway threshold, the crew initially attempted to land, even applying reverse thrust while still 60 meters in the air. Realizing they had insufficient runway remaining, they deselected reverse thrust and increased engine power to go around. However, the aircraft touched down 260 meters past the end of the runway before it could climb. The right wing struck a concrete building, followed by the left wing hitting a concrete wall, leading to a catastrophic breakup and fire as the aircraft crashed into a ditch.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the primary cause was pilot error. The crew disregarded standard operating procedures for the approach, failed to execute a timely go-around when the approach became unstable, and mismanaged engine thrust settings during the final moments of the flight. Environmental factors, specifically the heavy fog and limited visibility, contributed to the crew's spatial disorientation and late recognition of their position relative to the runway.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Instrument Landing System (ILS)
The crew failed to follow the glideslope indications, leading to an unstable approach.
Thrust Reversers
The crew incorrectly engaged reverse thrust while the aircraft was still 60 meters above the ground.
Ivchenko AI-25 Engines
The engines were transitioned from reverse thrust to full power during the late go-around attempt, but the aircraft lacked sufficient altitude to clear obstacles.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Yakovlev Yak-40 manufactured in 1975.
- 02All 37 people on board, including 32 passengers and 5 crew members, perished.
- 03Richard Conroy, a senior United Nations official, was among the victims.
- 04The aircraft touched down 260 meters past the end of the runway during the failed go-around attempt.
- 05The Captain, Alexander Alexanov, had reportedly been involved in two previous aviation incidents in 1998 and 2001.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Approach Procedure Review
The investigation highlighted the need for strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during low-visibility approaches and the importance of executing a go-around immediately if an approach becomes unstable.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Allegations of Evidence Tampering
Reference ↗Former British Ambassador Craig Murray alleged in his book 'Murder in Samarkand' that Uzbek officials tampered with the crash site and victims' bodies, and that no proper investigation was conducted.
Sabotage Allegations
Reference ↗In 2008, former Uzbek intelligence officer Ikrom Yakubov alleged that the crash was intentionally engineered by the Uzbek leadership, though these claims remain unverified by international investigators.