Built by Aviakor, it made its first flight on 21 May 1991 and was delivered to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in June 1991, which assigned the aircraft registration number CCCP-85698 and sent it to the Azerbaijan Department.

[citation needed] After an overhaul, the aircraft was leased to pay for the work by ARZ-400, which in turn subleased it to the Bulgarian company Balkangtsev in May 2000.

The landing was carried out in bad weather conditions, with the crew deviating 3 kilometres (1.9 mi; 1.6 nmi) from the left axis of the runway.

Approximately 15 miles (24 km; 13 nmi) from the airport, at an altitude of 9,100 feet (2,800 m) above sea level, the Tu-154 crashed into the Kuh-e Sefid mountain near the village of Sarab-e Dowreh and exploded.

[2][1] Shortly after the accident there were calls for the resignation or dismissal of Transport Minister, Ahmad Khorram, as well as the head of the civil aviation organization Behzad Mazheri.