What happened
During a mission supporting a geological expedition, an aircraft was performing a transit from Milkovo toward Khalaktyrka. While en route, the flight encountered deteriorating meteorological conditions characterized by snowfall and visibility that had dropped below established minimums to 10 km. During this period of poor visibility, the flight path deviated 17 km to the left of the intended route.
The aircraft struck the summit of a hill located in Mys Nalycheva at an altitude of 589 metres. The peak itself reaches an elevation of 594 metres and was obscured by cloud cover at the time of impact. The wreckage was discovered the following day. There were three fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing elements. A primary factor was the decision by the crew to proceed with the flight despite the worsening weather. Additionally, the investigation noted that meteorologists did not provide the crew with updates regarding the declining visibility and snowfall. The lack of intervention from Air Traffic Control, specifically the failure to instruct the aircraft to return to Milkovo or divert to an alternative airfield, was also cited as a contributing factor.