What happened
During a flight segment from Khalaktyrka to Kozyrevsk, the crew elected to navigate through mountainous terrain rather than following the established valley route. This deviation occurred despite weather conditions that were unsuitable for such a path. While flying through cloud cover, the aircraft type struck a mountain slope in the Ganalskiye gory range at an altitude of 1,230 meters. The peak involved was situated at approximately 1,280 meters, located roughly 16 km east of Malka.
Following the initial impact, the plane slid down the mountainside for about 700 meters before eventually stopping in the Zubastaya River valley. The accident resulted in two fatalities among the crew, while all 11 passengers survived the impact, though 8 passengers sustained serious injuries. Search teams located both the survivors and the wreckage on 11JAN69.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the crash was a result of controlled flight into terrain. The primary contributing factor was the crew's decision to deviate from published procedures by following an unauthorized route through the mountains during unfavorable weather.