What happened
Following the completion of two geophysical survey missions for the Severo-Yeniseysk expedition earlier that day, an aircraft departed for a fishing excursion on the Kotui River. During this afternoon flight, four passengers were taken on board without proper authorization.
While returning to Chirinda in the evening, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude. The plane struck treetops before crashing into a forested area situated on a mountain slope at an elevation of 480 meters. The wreckage was discovered approximately 6 km southwest of Chirinda, positioned 132 meters below the mountain summit. The impact resulted in a fire that destroyed the aircraft, and all seven fatalities were recorded among the occupants.
Findings
Investigators were unable to establish a definitive cause for the accident. However, evidence suggested a likely engine failure during the flight. This conclusion was supported by the discovery that the fuel remaining in both tanks totaled only 110 liters, which fell significantly below the mandatory minimum requirement of 300 liters.