What happened
During the eighth approach of a flight conducted under favorable weather conditions, the crew experienced a critical loss of power. After successfully completing seven previous landings, the instructor pilot observed a drop in admission pressure on the right engine. Without notifying the other members of the crew, the instructor proceeded to shut down the right engine and feather its propeller.
In an attempt to maintain flight stability following the loss of the first engine, the instructor directed the flight engineer to increase power on the left engine. However, during this process, the flight engineer mistakenly shut down the left engine as well. Left with no functioning engines, the pilot-in-command attempted an emergency descent, which resulted in the aircraft type crashing into a field in the vicinity of Bykovo Airport.
The impact caused the aircraft to be destroyed beyond repair. While there were no fatalities, the accident resulted in three injuries among the crew members.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified several contributing factors related to cockpit management and operational errors:
- Inadequate preparation for the flight
- A significant failure in crew coordination
- Lack of communication between the instructor and the rest of the crew
- Improper actions taken by the flight engineer during the engine power adjustment