What happened
During a scheduled cargo operation from Slavgorod to Samara, an aircraft carrying 10.8 tons of hydraulic fluid in barrels experienced a critical malfunction. Shortly after departing the airport, while the aircraft was climbing to an altitude of approximately 50 meters, both the number 2 and number 4 engines ceased functioning simultaneously.
Following the loss of power, the crew declared an emergency and received clearance to return to the airfield. However, due to the loss of thrust, the captain determined that a return to the runway was unfeasible. The pilot initiated an emergency descent into an open field situated roughly 8.6 km from the departure airport. The aircraft approached the terrain in a configuration with the landing gear retracted and flaps not deployed.
Upon impacting the ground, the tail section of the aircraft detached from the fuselage. The plane slid for several dozen meters across the field before a post-crash fire erupted. The incident resulted in six injuries, with four of the crew members sustaining serious wounds.
Findings
- The primary factor in the loss of flight capability was the simultaneous failure of both the number 2 and number 4 engines during the initial climb phase.