What happened
During an initial climb from Goretskoye Airport, a single-engine aircraft encountered severe visibility restrictions. While maintaining an altitude between 100 and 120 meters, the pilot executed a right-hand turn, followed by a left-hand turn approximately five seconds later. During this maneuver, the plane experienced a sudden loss of altitude and struck a snow-covered field located roughly 2,100 meters from the runway.
The impact was followed by an intense fire that consumed the wreckage. There were eight fatalities in total, consisting of one instructor and seven cadets who were on board at the time of the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash suggest that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation while operating in whiteout conditions. It is believed that the flight instruments, specifically the gyro horizon, were in a caged state during the takeoff phase, preventing the crew from maintaining proper orientation.