Date & Time:
Sep 3, 1968 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-BEG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Berlin - Sofia - Burgas
MSN:
187 0091 01
YOM:
1967
Country:
Bulgaria
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
80
Pax fatalities:
42
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
47
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a charter flight from Berlin to Burgas with an intermediate stop in Sofia, carrying 80 East-German tourists who were flying on holidays to Burgas, on the shore of the Black Sea. While descending to Burgas, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds, rain falls and thunderstorm activity. On final, the four engine aircraft was too low, struck obstacles and crashed in flames few hundred meters short of runway threshold. Five crew members and 42 passengers were killed while 39 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
The crew apparently took the decision to continue the approach under VFR mode in IMC conditions. In violation to the published procedures, the crew descended below the glide and continued the final approach at an insufficient altitude, causing the aircraft to struck obstacles and to crash.
