Baku - Aktau

On a flight from Baku to Aktau in difficult weather conditions at night when took off with caged gyro horizons, so the crew lost spatial orientation. The aircraft entered a steep right downward spiral and crashed on the shore of the Caspian Sea near Nardaran, some 35 km northeast of Baku, less than five minutes after takeoff. All 5 crew and 18 passengers were killed, among them were 15 Azeris, one Briton, one Australian, one Turkish, one Georgian and 4 Kazakh.

Flight / Schedule

Baku - Aktau

Aircraft

Antonov AN-140

Registration

4K-AZ48

MSN

36525307036

Year of Manufacture

2004

Date

December 23, 2005 at 10:40 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Nardaran Absheron

Region

Asia • Azerbaijan

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On December 23, 2005 at 10:40 PM, Baku - Aktau experienced a crash involving Antonov AN-140, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines - AZAL Airlines, with the event recorded near Nardaran Absheron.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

23 people were known to be on board, 23 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 18, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. On a flight from Baku to Aktau in difficult weather conditions at night when took off with caged gyro horizons, so the crew lost spatial orientation. The aircraft entered a steep right downward spiral and crashed on the shore of the Caspian Sea near Nardaran, some 35 km northeast of Baku, less than five minutes after takeoff. All 5 crew and 18 passengers were killed, among them were 15 Azeris, one Briton, one Australian, one Turkish, one Georgian and 4 Kazakh.

Aircraft reference details include registration 4K-AZ48, MSN 36525307036, year of manufacture 2004.

Fatalities

Total

23

Crew

5

Passengers

18

Other

0

Crash Summary

On a flight from Baku to Aktau in difficult weather conditions at night when took off with caged gyro horizons, so the crew lost spatial orientation. The aircraft entered a steep right downward spiral and crashed on the shore of the Caspian Sea near Nardaran, some 35 km northeast of Baku, less than five minutes after takeoff. All 5 crew and 18 passengers were killed, among them were 15 Azeris, one Briton, one Australian, one Turkish, one Georgian and 4 Kazakh.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

5

Passengers On Board

18

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 23

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Baku - Aktau

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

Asia • Azerbaijan

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Antonov AN-140

Registration

4K-AZ48

MSN

36525307036

Year of Manufacture

2004

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