Accident Details
The accident occurred during takeoff from an airstrip at Indra Lake, with the aircraft bound for Verkhnyaya Salda. The aircraft was owned by the Ministry of General Machine-Building (MOM – Ministerstvo Obshchestvo Mashinostroyeniya) and operated by the Research Institute for Thermal Processes (NIITP – Nauchno-Issledovatelskom Institute Teplovykh Protsessov).
Sequence of Events
The crew attempted to take off with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) exceeded by 170 kg and the center of gravity out of the envelope—too far aft. The captain and a passenger were at the controls and were intoxicated; the second pilot was in the passenger cabin. During the climb, the aircraft stalled at a height of approximately 15 metres, crashed, caught fire, and was burned out. The crash killed one pilot and nine passengers.
Probable Cause
The official findings state that the accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors: - The total weight of the aircraft was in excess of 170 kg to the MTOW, - The center of gravity was too far aft and out of the envelope, - The captain and the second pilot (a passenger) were intoxicated.