Bek Air flight Z9-2100 from Almaty to Astana, a domestic flight within Kazakhstan operated by a Fokker 100 with reports alternately of 93 and 95 passengers on board along with 5 crew, crashed shortly after takeoff. It was unable to climb, hit the ground, and broke through a concrete wall before hitting a building. The Fokker jet broke into multiple pieces.

Twelve people are reported to have perished including the captain of the flight. Sixty six people suffered critical injuries (22 of which are ‘extremely critical’). These numbers may worsen.

The aircraft climbed to only about 100 feet, veered right, and hit buildings about 2500 feet past the end of the runway. Eyewitness reports suggest the aircraft began shaking shortly after beginning to climb. It rotated left and then right and hit the ground.

Passengers fled the aircraft via an overwing exit, slipping on an icy wing on the way out. According to the government of Kazakhstan, “preliminary results by the investigation commission suggests the aircraft struck its tail onto the runway surface twice.”

#Kazakhstan L'avion du vol Alma-Ata – Nursultan de Bek Air s'est écrasé dans le quartier résidentiel près d'Alma-Ata.
Vidéo qui documente la zone du crash. pic.twitter.com/m1yaWecLxL

— Rebecca Rambar (@RebeccaRambar) December 27, 2019

#Kazakhstan Les dégâts sont mieux visibles avec le jour qui se lève.
L'avion est un Fokker-100.
Les vols de type Fokker-100 au Kazakhstan sont suspendus. pic.twitter.com/pL1ApnJkLH

— Rebecca Rambar (@RebeccaRambar) December 27, 2019

Bek Air is based in Oral, Kazakhstan and founded in 1999. It operates a focus city at Almaty. The airline’s operating certificate has been suspended. It’s too early to speculate on whether improper de-icing or a sudden engine reversal may have contributed to the crash.

The Fokker 100 first went into service in 1988 with Swissair. In the U.S. both American Airlines and USAir operated the aircraft. It’s still in service today, with the largest number flying in Australia under the QantasLink and Virgin Australia Regional banners. The occurrence aircraft first entered service on April 8, 1996.