The deadly crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane on December 25 was a direct result of damage to key flight systems caused by foreign objects, a preliminary official report released by the Azerbaijani government on Tuesday concluded.
The report details that Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport found "extensive damage to the interior and fuselage of the aircraft, its tail and rear section, including the stabilizers."
Investigators found unidentified metal debris that caused damage to the aircraft's hydraulic systems after "two external noises."
"Due to adverse weather conditions, the aircraft unsuccessfully attempted to land in Grozny twice, and then the captain decided to return to Baku. Following this decision, the CVR recorded two external noises, occurring at 24-second intervals, over Grozny," the report said.
But according to the report, further forensic tests will be required to determine the source of the foreign objects. No evidence of bird strike was noted in the preliminary report.
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 from Baku to Grozny crashed while attempting an emergency landing near Aktau in Kazakhstan.
Before the crash, the Embraer ERJ 190-100 aircraft lost all primary flight controls, suffered cabin depressurization, and the crew reported that seats in the cabin had exploded.
The plane crashed about 5 kilometers from Runway 11 of Aktau Airport, breaking apart and bursting into flames. A total of 38 people on board were killed, including the captain, first officer, senior flight attendant, and 35 passengers, while 29 others survived with injuries.
At the time, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Russia of being responsible for the plane crash and called on it to apologize.
The preliminary report will be followed by a final report within one year from the date of the crash, according to international regulations. (A2 Televizion)
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