Meridian AN12 near Kavala on Jul 16th 2022, impacted ground after engine trouble
Last Update: May 25, 2023 / 07:14:59 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Jul 16, 2022
Classification
Crash
Airline
Meridian Ltd.
Flight number
MEM-3032
Departure
Nis, Serbia
Destination
Amman, Jordan
Aircraft Registration
UR-CIC
Aircraft Type
Antonov An-12
ICAO Type Designator
AN12
Sources within the Greek Civil Aviation Authority reported the crew reported engine problems and requested to divert to Kavala (Greece). However, the contact with the aircraft was lost on approach to Kavala.
Ground observers reported the aircraft appeared to have been on fire while still airborne, the fire appeared to have expanded from the engine onto the wing. After impact a fire ball rose above the aircraft.
Emergency services report that although it is unclear what the aircraft was carrying they treat the freight as hazardeous materials. Specialists are on their way to the site.
On Jul 17th 2022 Serbia's Minister of Defense reported the aircraft carried 11.5 tons of Serbian made defense products (mortar training missiles) purchased by Bangladesh's Defense Ministry. The aircraft was to make technical stops in Amman (Jordan), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Ahmedabad (India) before reaching its final destination in Dhaka (Bangladesh). The transport was in line with all international law and had all relevant permits.
On Jul 17th 2022 Meridian Ltd confirmed the death of their 8 crew.
In the afternoon of Jul 17th 2022 Greece's CAA reported that the aircraft entered their airspace at 22:09L (19:09Z), at 22:37L (19:37Z) the crew informed Athens Control that they would return to Nis due to operational reasons. At 22:42L the crew declared Mayday reporting an engine #4 fire (AI-20A, outboard right hand) and began to divert to Kavala, on approach to Kavala the crew contacted tower at 22:45L (19:45Z) and was cleared to land, at 22:47L (19:47Z) the contact with the aircraft was lost.
On May 25th 2023 Ukraine's NBAAI reported the aircraft carried 12,102kg of dangerous commercial cargo. The aircraft entered Greek Airspace at 19:09Z at waypoint RUGAS at FL198. At 19:25Z the crew reported they needed to shut engine #4 (outboard right hand) down due to a visible fuel leak. The captain decided to return to the departure airport. After the crew shut the engine down, the engine #4 caught fire. The crew performed the fire drill, however, was unsuccessful in extinguishing the fire. Descending through FL143 the crew declared Mayday reporting an engine #4 fire and requested to divert to Kavala, which was approved. The last airborne position of the aircraft (ADS-B) was N44.9908 E24.0975 at 5600 feet and 222 KIAS at 19:40Z, the aircraft contacted trees and electrical power lines and impacted ground at N40.95834 E24.196672. All 8 crew on board perished. Ukraine's NBAAI supports Greece's AAIASB. Germany's BFU was able to download the cockpit voice recorder providing essential data to the investigation. The investigation determined that the aircraft had contacted a light mast at Rzeszow (Poland) on Jun 19th 2022, while being guided by a "FOLLOW ME" vehicle, when the aircraft deviated to the right of the route indicated by the FOLLOW ME vehicle. The aircraft had sustained damage to the leading edge of the right hand wing.
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Jul 16, 2022
Classification
Crash
Airline
Meridian Ltd.
Flight number
MEM-3032
Departure
Nis, Serbia
Destination
Amman, Jordan
Aircraft Registration
UR-CIC
Aircraft Type
Antonov An-12
ICAO Type Designator
AN12
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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