What happened
During a nighttime approach to Nizhnevartovsk Airport under marginal weather conditions, the crew of an aircraft attempted an initial landing approach that was unsuccessful due to improper alignment with the approach path. Following a decision to perform a go-around, the pilot initiated a second approach approximately six minutes later. During the short final phase of this second attempt, air traffic control queried whether the runway was visible; the pilot confirmed it was, and landing clearance was granted.
Shortly after receiving clearance, the aircraft type struck treetops before stalling and impacting a wooded area. The crash occurred 1,092 meters before reaching the runway threshold. The accident resulted in 24 fatalities, including the co-pilot and a flight attendant, while 32 occupants sustained injuries.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the propellers transitioned into reverse thrust unintentionally when the crew engaged the engine de-icing system. This was attributed to a design flaw where the de-icing and thrust reversal systems could be activated at the same time. Additionally, investigators noted that the flaps were set to an angle of 17° rather than the required 38°, which served as a contributing factor to the loss of control.