Boeing B747-412F TC-MCL before crash

Manas Airport was planned as a transit airport for refueling and crew change.

The approach was conducted to RWY 26. The a/c overflown the entire length of the runway and impacted the ground near RWY 08 LMM.

The a/c was totally destroyed in the accident : the 4 persons on board ACT Airlines flight TK6491 were killed.

35 local residents of Dacha-SU settlement were killed by the crashed a/c and ground fire, 37 local residents got injuries of varying severity.

Destroyed village and impact site.

The Descent was performed at approximately 160 kt CAS.

The landing weight was about 274800 kg. MAP mode was selected on both pilots’ navigation displays with scale range of 10 nm. As the a/c was descending LAND 3 status degraded to LAND 2, which was confirmed by the crew callout.

Flight path of ACT Airlines flight TK6491

Within 01:16:49 – 01:16:56 the EGPWS Mode 5 GLIDESLOPE alert was triggered 5 times (See Section 1.18.2).

Further, the EGPWS system only provided information on reaching selected approach altitudes and minima.

At 01:17:04 the crew crossed RWY 26 departure end at a height of about 110 ft.

At 01:17:05 EGPWS 100 ft radio altitude voice callout occurred while the decision height was 99 ft.

At 01:17:07 the FO called “Minimums”.

At 01:17:08 the PIC of ACT Airlines flight TK6491 informed that there was no visual contact («NEGATIVE») and called to go-around.

At 01:17:09 A/P Flare mode was engaged and half a second later at 58 ft radar altitude TOGA switch was pushed as per the DFDR.

The Go-Around mode activation resulted in engine power increase, vertical acceleration of about 1.4 g and arresting descent.

3.5 seconds after the TOGA switch had been pushed the a/c hit slightly upsloping terrain and obstacles. The ground speed at the time of impact was 165 kt. The maximum recorded vertical acceleration was 6 g. Initial impact occurred at a distance of approximately 930 m from RWY 26 departure end.

The collision with terrain and obstacles resulted in hull loss, most of the a/c structure was consumed by the post-crash fire.