BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 27. Chechen Republic Head Ramzan Kadyrov has decided to award the surviving crew members of the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190, which crashed in December last year during a flight from Baku to Grozny.
The position expressed by Chechen authorities regarding the AZAL plane crash is considered acceptable to Azerbaijan, a source in the Azerbaijani government told Trend.
"The decision by Chechen authorities to award certain individuals after the crash understandably sparked strong outrage in Azerbaijani society. However, investigations have confirmed—and Azerbaijan has precise information—that Chechen leadership had no involvement or responsibility in the incident," the government source stated.
According to the source, the perpetrators of this incident were Russian military personnel. "In Azerbaijan, it is deemed acceptable to voice a position on this matter, even if it comes late".
On December 25, 2024, an Embraer 190-100 IGW passenger aircraft, registered as 4K-AZ65 and operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), crashed near Aktau Airport, Kazakhstan, while operating flight J2-8243 from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia. The crash resulted in the deaths of two pilots, the senior flight attendant, and 35 passengers. Despite the loss of life, the skill and bravery of the pilots and cabin crew allowed for an emergency landing, saving 29 people.
A preliminary report released by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport confirms the following findings:
The Embraer 190-100 IGW, registered as 4K-AZ65 and operated by AZAL, was fully airworthy throughout its flight toward Grozny. The aircraft's airworthiness, including its control systems, was verified through Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data.
Both engines were operating normally until the crash, as confirmed by FDR data.
While flying over Russian airspace, including Grozny Airport, the aircraft lost GPS signals.
Due to poor weather conditions over Grozny, the aircraft was unable to attempt a second landing. The captain then decided to return to Baku. Soon after making this decision, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) captured two external sounds, 24 seconds apart.
A comparison of CVR and FDR data revealed:
- Four seconds after the first external sound, the third hydraulic system failed.
- Six seconds later, the first hydraulic system failed.
- Twenty-one seconds later, the second hydraulic system also failed.
Extensive damage to the fuselage was documented through photos and videos. Most of the damage was found on the vertical and horizontal stabilizers, the left wing, and the left engine.
The report concludes that the damage was caused by external objects. It rules out the possibility of a bird strike.
Foreign objects not belonging to the aircraft were found embedded in the fuselage. These objects were removed, and photographs were included in the preliminary report. Further forensic analysis is planned to determine their origin.
At 05:13:32, the aircraft’s primary flight control systems failed. At 05:21:42, air traffic control in Grozny was informed that Operation "Cover" had been initiated.
The report contains no evidence of an oxygen tank explosion.
Under the ICAO Chicago Convention, a final accident report must be completed within one year of the incident. Kazakhstan, along with other involved countries, has already begun working on the final report.