Date:	Thursday 30 November 1995
Time:	19:10
Type:	Boeing 707-323C
Owner/operator:	Azerbaijan Airlines
Registration:	4K-401
MSN:	19584/663
Year of manufacture:	1967
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B (HK)
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	9 km from Baku Airport (BAK) -   Azerbaijan
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Ürümqi-Diwopu Airport (URC/ZWWW)
Destination airport:	Baku-Bina International Airport (BAK/UBBB)
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
After takeoff from Urumqi, China, the left main lading gear failed to retract. The crew decided to continue the flight to their home base at Baku, Azerbaijan.
After a low pass along Baku's runway the aircraft turned to the left to return to the airport. Shortly afterwards engine power was lost as a result of fuel shortage. The plane struck light stanchions on a road bridge and crashed in a field.

Factors:
1) A malfunction of the landing gear retraction system, which led to flight with a landing gear extended and excessive fuel consumption. The subsequent failure to lock the left landing gear in the extended position made it necessary to do a second approach with a limited amount of fuel.
2) The fuel gauge indicator readings were inaccurate and prevented the crew from having correct info on the amount of fuel available and applying the flight manual's recommendations for low-fuel flights.
3) The lack of an airline bulletin on the features of the fuel system prevented the crew in the emergency situation from selecting the optimum mode for flying with a limited amount of fuel.
4) Inadequate operational and maintenance organization on the part of the companies Baku Air and ALG Inc.

Flight International 13-19 December 1995 (9)
ICAO Adrep Summary 2/96 (#3)
Scramble 200(40)

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

8 July 1991

N8404

Southern Air Transport

0

Denver International Airport, CO (DEN)

sub

photo (c) Pol van Damme, via Werner Fischdick; Oostende Airport (OST); May 1995

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