Kazakhstan's Transport Ministry has published a preliminary report on the crash of an AZAL plane near Aktau airport

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Kazakhstan's Transport Ministry has published a preliminary report on the crash of an AZAL plane near Aktau airport

The Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan has published a preliminary report on the crash of the Embraer 190-100 IGW passenger aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), operating flight J2-8243 on the Baku-Grozny route. The accident occurred on December 25, 2024 at 11:28 local time during an attempt to make an emergency landing at the Aktau airfield. As a result of the disaster, 38 people died, including 35 passengers and three crew members, another 27 people were injured.

According to the report, the aircraft took off from Baku and was heading to Grozny. However, due to difficult weather conditions, the crew was unable to land and after two unsuccessful approaches, decided to return to Baku. During the return process, at 05:13 UTC, the aircraft encountered failures of the main control systems, which made it impossible to safely fly. At 05:42, the crew commander decided to head to an alternate airfield in Aktau.

A few minutes before the crash, the crew reported serious control problems. At 06:02, Rostov Flight Control Center dispatchers received a distress signal from the aircraft, and at 06:27, the plane collided with the ground near the village of Sayyna Shapagatova, 5 km from Aktau Airport. The aircraft was completely destroyed and partially burned.

Initial analysis indicates failure of all three hydraulic systems, making the aircraft virtually uncontrollable. At the time of the crash, the aircraft was in a 35-degree right bank and -5,8-degree negative pitch. The report also notes significant damage to the fuselage, including the tail section, stabilizer, and pitch trim control system. Evidence of external object penetration was found, requiring further examination.

The investigation is also looking at the possibility of a bird strike, as the crew reported an unknown object hitting the plane before the control systems failed. There are also suggestions of a possible technical defect or an error in the aircraft's maintenance before takeoff.

The Kazakh Ministry of Transport, together with representatives from Azerbaijan, Brazil (the country where the plane was manufactured), Russia and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is continuing its investigation. A detailed analysis of the plane's fragments and flight recorders is planned to establish the exact causes of the crash.

The report states that safety recommendations will be published in the final report after all necessary assessments are completed. Kazakhstan's aviation authorities have already begun reviewing flight standards in regions with unstable navigation conditions.

The crash of the AZAL plane caused a wide resonance both in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani authorities expressed condolences to the families of the victims and declared their readiness to provide comprehensive assistance in the investigation. At the same time, AZAL airline noted that the plane had undergone a technical inspection several hours before departure and had no identified faults.

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