What happened
While navigating the Tikhon-Yuryakh river valley, the flight crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by poor visibility and low cloud cover. During this period of difficult flying conditions, the crew attempted to execute a return maneuver; however, the timing of this decision was insufficient to avoid terrain.
The aircraft collided with treetops before impacting a mountain slope at an altitude of 1,080 meters. The crash site was located approximately 19 km northeast of Chumpu-Kytyl (Tyubelyakh), near the Moma Pass, which sits at an elevation of 1,444 meters. The force of the impact and a subsequent fire resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft.
The accident resulted in six fatalities and two injuries, involving one pilot and one passenger who survived, while the second pilot and five passengers perished.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing elements. The primary cause was determined to be erroneous or inadequate information regarding weather conditions along the route. Additionally, the investigation noted that the crew's flight preparation was insufficient and that the decisions made during the flight were incorrect.