What happened
On January 27, 2016, at approximately 17:47 local time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-600N helicopter, registration UP-MD004, crashed into terrain near Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan. The aircraft, operated by JSC Aspan, was en route from Ucharal to Taldykorgan when the incident occurred.
Prior to the impact, the pilot had contacted air traffic control to request a descent to 500 meters. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 18 kilometers from its intended destination. The accident resulted in 5 fatal injuries, involving the pilot and four passengers.