Four-Engine Cargo Aircraft Crashes Short of Runway at Sredny Ostrov Airfield (RA-12981)

Incident Overview and Flight Details A four-engine aircraft departed Moscow-Vnukovo on a cargo flight to Sredny Island, with an intermediate stop in Salekhard. The aircraft was carrying six crew members, seven passengers, and 9.6 tons of various goods intended for the personnel of the drifting Polar Station “Severny Polyus 32” (North Pole 32). The flight was operating in a remote polar region, and the destination was Sredny Ostrov Airfield. The aircraft was not identified by type or registration in the source material, and no specific date or operator was provided. The cargo was described as various goods for the polar station, and the total load was 9.6 tons. The flight included an intermediate stop in Salekhard before proceeding to the final destination. The aircraft was on final approach to Sredny Ostrov Airfield when the incident occurred. The crew encountered poor weather conditions and limited visibility during the approach. The aircraft struck the icy ground approximately 650 meters short of the runway. The impact caused the aircraft to lose its undercarriage, and it slid for a few dozen meters before coming to rest 165 meters to the right of the extended centerline. All 13 occupants escaped uninjured, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, date, operator, or exact location beyond the airfield name. The probable cause was attributed to poor flight preparation, lack of a suitable weather briefing, poor weather conditions at the destination, visibility below minimums, the crew continuing the approach without visual contact with the runway, and the failure to initiate a go-around procedure.