Accident Overview
On a flight from Petrel-Burevestnik Airport to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, an aircraft operated on behalf of the KGB/Border Guard carried three passengers and six crew members. During the climb after takeoff, air traffic control (ATC) instructed the crew to initiate a left turn. The aircraft subsequently struck the slope of Mount Medvezhonok. The wreckage was located approximately 10 metres below the summit. All nine occupants were killed in the accident.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the instructions transmitted by local ATC to the crew were non-compliant with published procedures. According to standard departure procedures, all crew and aircraft were required to execute a right turn after departure. The ATC directive for a left turn deviated from these established protocols.