Date & Time:
Jul 15, 1975 at 1234 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-40
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-87475
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Yerevan - Batumi
MSN:
9 44 20 37
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
SU015E
Country:
Georgia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
35
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
40
Aircraft flight hours:
1244
Aircraft flight cycles:
1151
Circumstances:
While completing a visual approach to Batumi Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and initiated a go around procedure. The pilot-in-command completed a first turn to the right, flew for about 1,5 km then made a turn to the left. While cruising at an altitude of 550 meters at a speed of about 300-350 km/h in a flaps and gear down configuration, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Mtirala (595 meters high) located 15 km from the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 40 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
ATC failed to inform the crew about the real weather conditions at Batumi Airport and the crew initiated a go around procedure in marginal weather conditions with a visibility reduced to 3 km instead of the 5 km as mentioned by ATC. In such conditions, the crew was unable to distinguish the mountain, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.
