No Survivors Reported On Atlasjet Flight Carrying 56

A Friday accident originating from Istanbul's Ataturk Airport has involved an Atlasjet MD83 that went down just outside the city of Isparta, with a total loss of life. The Turkish Atlasjet airplane, leased from World Focus Airlines, took off with 49 passengers and 7 crew members.

The MD83 departed late from Istanbul, and was reported to have disappeared from radar surveillance at 0136, local time, while attempting a landing at Isparta's Suleyman Demirel Airport. SAR crews found the wreckage of the aircraft about four hours later on a mountain top near two villages.

Atlasjet Airlines was established on March 14, 2001 by Öger Holding A.S., licensed to carry out “Passenger and Cargo Transportation on Unscheduled Flights, Domestic and International and carried out its first flight on June 1, 2001. In April 2004 the Turkey tourism group ETS took over 49% of Atlasjet and a new organizational structure was introduced to the company combining the forces of the ETS and the Öger Group. On June 14, 2004, it was licensed to “Carry Out Passenger and Cargo Transportation on Scheduled and Unscheduled Flights, domestic and international“ by SHGM. Two weeks later, on July 1, 2004, Atlasjet started its scheduled flights domestically. In Turkey it is the first private airline holding the IATA certificate.

The airline operates a number of aircraft types (example pictured below), including the Airbus A319, Airbus A320-214, Airbus A320-233, Bombardier CRJ900s and Boeing 757-200, as well as the aforementioned MD83.

According to the statement issued by Tuncay Doganer, The CEO Of Atlasjet Airlines, the aircraft was a "MD83 type passenger aircraft, with flight number KK 4203, belonging to World Focus Airlines (type and livery shown below), leased by Atlasjet Airlines, (and) took off from Ataturk Airport at 0050 to fly from Istanbul to Isparta."

"There were 56 people on board the aircraft. Those were 49 passengers and 7 crew: 2 pilots, 4 cabin attendants and 1 technician. The pilots, cabin chief and flight technician on the flight are the staff of World Focus Airlines, 3 stewardesses from the cabin crew are the staff of Atlasjet Airlines. After take off, communication was established with the tower, over Isparta Airport, the airport was seen, and as from this moment communication with the aircraft has been cut off. At approximately 06.15, we were informed that the aircraft had crashed in the west of Kilinc District, the north of Cukuroren Village, the west of Turbetepe.

It has been determined that the aircraft had no technical problem during landing and take-off. After inbound (last approach to the airport for landing), communication with the aircraft was cut off.

As from the moment the event was learned, all related units including Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Turkish Air Force and Police Department started working on the event. According to the information rendered at approximately 0615, the aircraft was found to be on a hill of approximately 5000 feet in the northwest of the airport. Search and rescue teams tried to reach the venue over-land. Because it is a highland, teams are having difficulty to reach the area. According to the information received from the search and rescue helicopter, no vital sign has been determined up to now."

FMI: www.atlasjet.com/en/default.asp