Accident Boeing 737-242 Advanced EX-037,

Date:	Thursday 3 February 2005
Time:	15:15
Type:	Boeing 737-242 Advanced
Owner/operator:	Kam Air
Registration:	EX-037
MSN:	22075/630
Year of manufacture:	1980
Total airframe hrs:	51363 hours
Cycles:	42055 flights
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17A (HK3)
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 105 / Occupants: 105
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	32 km ESE of Kabul Airport (KBL) - Afghanistan
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Herat Airport (HEA/OAHR)
Destination airport:	Kabul Airport (KBL/OAKB)
Investigating agency:	CAO Afghanistan
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Kam Air Flight 904 from Herat to Kabul, Afghanistan, was destroyed when it impacted a mountain side during descent. All 105 on board were killed.
The Boeing 737-242 aircraft, with Kyrgyz Republic registration EX-037, departed from Herat at 10:02 UTC. The estimated time of arrival (ETA) at Kabul International Airport was 10:55 UTC.
The aircraft was cruising at flight level 270 when it contacted Bagram Radar Approach Control ("Bagram") for descent and landing. The flight was normal until it failed to level at flight level 130 during the VOR/DME approach.
At 10:43 UTC, Bagram cleared the flight to descend at its discretion and to expect the VOR approach to runway 29. The prevailing weather was also passed on to the aircraft. Visibility was reported 2 kilometers with snow, ceiling 2200 feet broken. wind calm and altimeter setting QNH 1016.
When the aircraft was 35 miles west of the Kabul VOR, radar contact was established with Bagram. The aircraft was advised by Bagram to cross the VOR at or above flight level 130 and cleared it for the VOR/DME approach to runway 29 at Kabul Airport. At 10:48 UTC the aircraft reported flight level 130.
Bagram again cleared the aircraft for the VOR approach to runway 29 and advised the aircraft to report procedure turn inbound. The crew replied that they would report proceeding inbound for the VOR approach to runway 29. This was the last transmission from the aircraft.

Search for the aircraft was delayed and hampered due to a severe snowstorm in the region. The aircraft was located approximately three days later by an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter
The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was recovered, but the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) could not be found. No data was found recorded on the FDR.

Probable Cause: "The accident occurred probably due to the premature descent by the Aircraft below its minimum assigned altitude of 13,000 feet during approach in weather conditions below VFR requirements. The reason for descending below the minimum altitude could not be determined due to inadequate evidence."

Accident investigation: