To put to rest the rumour of 4th approach read the interview:
Диспетчер рассказал о причинах крушения Ту-154 : LIFE | NEWS
or the poor translation:
Google Tłumacz
- How was your yesterday's conversation with the crew?
- They were asked to go to the alternate. Они отказались. They refused.
- You offer them?
- Yes.
- For what reason?
- Because the weather began to deteriorate.
- And what was the response?
- Answer: "I have enough fuel, I'll do one approach and go to the alternate aerodrome, if I will not land."
- And we had information that he was invited to land in other cities.
- It's me who also offered it to him.
- And why did he refuse?
- You had to ask him.
- Why they took such a decision? They began to curse, or may actively insisted on his point, that you could not change his mind?
- This was a decision the commander.
- What's next? He said that he would leave for another round and go to the alternate aerodrome, right?
- No, he said that if he will not manage to land, then goes to the alternate.
So it was clearly their first approach, not 4th, he just did 3 low holding rounds
before attempting to land.