What happened
A cargo operation traveling from St Petersburg-Levashovo to Krasnodar, which included a scheduled stop in Andreapol, ended in a fatal accident during the departure phase. The flight was transporting construction supplies and a private vehicle, alongside a total of 11 passengers and 6 crew members.
During the initial climb from the airport, the aircraft experienced significant instability, characterized by rhythmic pitching motions. As the crew attempted to retract the flaps, the aircraft's nose dropped, leading to an uncontrolled descent. The plane eventually impacted a forested area situated approximately 8 km from the departure airfield.
Findings
The accident resulted in 17 fatalities, with no survivors reported among the passengers or the crew. The sequence of events indicates that the retraction of flaps during the unstable climb contributed to the loss of control and the subsequent crash.