What happened
During an aerial survey mission near Pavlodar, an aircraft carrying three crew members and three passengers encountered intense downward air currents. While operating at a low altitude over undulating landscape, the sudden downdraft impacted the flight path. The crew attempted to compensate for the atmospheric disturbance, but the reaction occurred too late to prevent the left main wheel and the lower portion of the left wing from making contact with a hillside.
Following the initial impact with the slope, the flight crew executed an emergency landing in the vicinity of Shoptykol. Although the aircraft suffered additional damage during this secondary phase of the incident, all six occupants successfully evacuated the wreckage without any injuries. Subsequent inspections by Aviaremont determined that the aircraft was a total loss due to the extent of the structural damage.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the aircraft being trapped by strong downdrafts during low-altitude flight.