Incident Overview
A cargo aircraft on a flight from Sverdlovsk to Krasnoyarsk with an intermediate stop in Kamensk-Uralski crashed during a night approach to Yeniseysk Airport after being diverted due to poor weather at the destination. The aircraft was carrying six crew members and six passengers accompanying a cargo of 10 tons of various metallic materials. The accident resulted in the destruction of the aircraft, the death of the navigator, and injuries to 11 other occupants.
Sequence of Events
The flight originated in Sverdlovsk, made a stop in Kamensk-Uralski, and then proceeded toward Krasnoyarsk. En route, the crew was informed of poor weather conditions at the destination and was instructed to divert to Yeniseysk Airport. During the night approach, the aircraft descended below the glide path. The copilot twice informed the captain that a go-around should be initiated, but for an unknown reason, the captain continued the approach. The aircraft, in a slight nose-down attitude, struck the ground with its nose gear 1,933 meters short of the runway threshold. It then bounced and flew for about 374 meters before striking trees and crashing 612 meters after the initial impact.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be poor approach planning on the part of the crew, who failed to follow approach procedures and descended below the glide path in poor visibility due to fog and night conditions. Contributing factors included: fog reducing visibility and complicating the flight; the activation of approach lights in foggy conditions creating a blinding screen for the pilots; and the captain's decision to continue the approach below the prescribed minimum altitude when a go-around should have been initiated.