What happened
Following a period of heavy maintenance at the Rostov-on-Don Manufacture Plant, an aircraft was performing a repositioning flight to Ufa. The flight departed from Rostov Airport during the night under conditions of dense fog that severely limited visibility. After completing a standard takeoff roll, the pilot-in-command rotated the aircraft at 200 km/h and began a climb through zero visibility.
At an altitude of approximately 220 meters, the flight crew initiated a left turn, which caused the aircraft to bank to a left angle of between 25° and 30°. As the speed reached 325 km/h, the flaps were retracted, during which time the pilot-in-command and copilot engaged in inconsistent operational actions. In an attempt to stabilize the roll, the copilot applied full right rudder trim, but the aircraft became unstable.
While attempting to return engine power to nominal levels, the crew identified a discrepancy between the left and right artificial horizon instruments. During the effort to determine which instrument was malfunctioning, the aircraft entered a left turn and impacted an open field 1,750 meters beyond the runway threshold. The impact occurred at a speed of 430 km/h, just 17 seconds after liftoff. The crash resulted in four fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the loss of control during the initial climb was caused by an anomaly in the captain's artificial horizon, which may have been due to a power supply issue or a misinterpretation of the instrument. The investigation also highlighted that the crew elected to depart in visibility below established minimums, an action deemed unjustified. Furthermore, the crew failed to follow published flight preparation procedures and proceeded with the departure despite neglecting necessary safety protocols.