What happened
A cargo operation traveling from Novosibirsk-Yeltsovka Airport to Irkutsk ended in a fatal accident during the final approach phase. The aircraft, a four-engine transport, was carrying 1.5 tons of spare parts intended for the Irkut Group, along with a total of nine people including six crew members and three mechanics.
As the flight approached Irkutsk-2 Airport at night, the crew faced difficult weather characterized by mist and reduced visibility. During the short final stage of the approach, the aircraft drifted to the right of its intended path and lost altitude prematurely. The plane struck military vehicles before crashing into several barracks belonging to the 109th Arsenal of the Russian Army. The wreckage settled approximately 770 meters before the threshold of runway 14, positioned roughly 90 meters right of the extended centerline. The impact resulted in nine fatalities among the occupants; however, no individuals on the ground were killed.
Findings
Investigations into the accident highlighted several critical failures regarding flight safety and communication:
- The crew proceeded with their descent below the minimum descent altitude (MDA) without establishing visual contact with the terrain.
- The flight manager failed to notify the rest of the crew that weather conditions at the destination had deteriorated below established minimum visibility requirements.
- Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Irkutsk-2 Airport did not alert the crew when they began deviating from the prescribed approach path during the short final phase.