What happened
While traveling from Stavropol toward Simferopol, an aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 2,400 meters when it encountered heavy icing conditions. During this period, the left engine ceased functioning, and the right engine failed approximately 14 seconds later. After notifying air traffic control of the emergency, the crew lost command of the aircraft. The plane entered a dive and crashed into the Sivash gulf, roughly 24 km southeast of Emelyanovka, Crimea, at a location 10 km from the shore.
The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and the wreckage subsequently sank. There were 26 fatalities among the occupants. Search and recovery efforts to refloat debris continued for several weeks, spanning from October 24 through November 18, 1978.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the aircraft had been operating in severe icing conditions for roughly 15 to 20 minutes prior to the simultaneous loss of both engines. The investigation identified that ice accumulation on the air intakes, turbine blades, and inlet guide vanes was a critical factor.
Furthermore, the crew did not adhere to established emergency protocols, as the decision to engage engine deicing systems occurred too late to prevent the aircraft from becoming uncontrollable. Additionally, the existing training program regarding operations in icing conditions was found to be inadequate.