Accident Details
A crop-spraying aircraft departed from Nikitskoye in the Kurkino district of the Tula region for a flight to the state farm "Pobeda". Immediately after takeoff, the pilot likely experienced a failure of flap and aileron controls. The pilot jettisoned the agricultural load and was able to maintain control temporarily. However, after traveling approximately 8 kilometers, the aircraft banked sharply to the left, rolled inverted, and crashed into a field belonging to the state farm "Polibino". The crash site was located 1.5 kilometers northwest of Maryinka in the Dankov district of the Lipetsk region. The aircraft caught fire and was completely destroyed. The sole occupant, the pilot, was killed in the accident.
Sequence of Events
The flight was a routine crop-spraying operation. Shortly after lift-off, control anomalies became evident. The pilot dropped the spray load in an attempt to regain full control. Despite this, the aircraft remained difficult to manage. After covering 8 km, the aircraft went into an uncontrolled left bank, resulting in a complete inversion and subsequent impact with terrain. The post-crash fire consumed the wreckage.
Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the exact cause could not be established due to the extensive destruction from impact and fire. However, investigators believe that a malfunction of the flap and/or aileron systems, for unknown reasons, led to the loss of control.