▁ 0 2 : 2 0   M ST . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁Fl ight ▁ 9 8 1 ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁initial ▁fix , ▁to ▁begin ▁the ▁approach ▁to ▁Rost ov - on - Don , ▁two ▁other ▁fl ights ▁had ▁land ed ▁successfully ▁during ▁the ▁previous ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes . ▁ ▁An ▁alert ▁from ▁Fl ight ▁ 9 8 1 ' s ▁on board ▁wind she ar ▁warning ▁system ▁caused ▁the ▁pil ots ▁to ▁abandon ▁their ▁first ▁approach ▁to ▁a ▁landing . ▁Following ▁that ▁first ▁missed ▁approach , ▁the ▁flight ▁entered ▁a ▁holding ▁pattern ▁near ▁the ▁air port ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁hours , ▁await ing ▁improvement ▁to ▁the ▁weather ▁conditions . ▁While ▁Fl ight ▁ 9 8 1 ▁was ▁holding , ▁Aer of lot ▁Fl ight ▁ 1 1 6 6 ▁made ▁three ▁un success ful ▁attempts ▁to ▁land ▁and ▁then ▁di vert ed ▁to ▁nearby ▁K ras n od ar ▁Airport , ▁landing ▁there ▁at ▁ 0 2 : 5 9 . ▁ ▁At ▁ 0 3 : 2 8 , ▁the ▁crew ▁began ▁their ▁second ▁approach ▁to ▁run way ▁ 2 2 , ▁but ▁again ▁ab orted ▁their ▁landing . ▁The ▁plane ▁then ▁rapidly ▁clim bed ▁to ▁ ▁before ▁going ▁into ▁a ▁ 4 5 ▁degree ▁d ive , ▁and ▁at ▁ 0 3 : 4 2 ▁crash ed ▁onto ▁the ▁run way ▁not ▁far ▁from ▁the ▁threshold , ▁sk idd ing ▁a ▁few ▁meters ▁and ▁expl oding . ▁ ▁Vict ims ▁▁ ▁All ▁ 6