What happened
Following several days of operational delays caused by adverse weather conditions in the Kirov oblast, flight operations resumed on the morning of January 21. During a flight segment traveling from Kirov toward Sovetsk, an AN-2 aircraft was cruising at an altitude of approximately 150 meters with visibility ranging between 2 and 4 kilometers.
During this period, the aircraft collided with another AN-2, registration CCCP-02142, which was transporting two crew members and 12 passengers. While the aircraft with registration CCCP-02142 sustained minor damage but managed to reach Kirov safely, the other aircraft, registration CCCP-01218, lost control. The plane entered a 60-degree nose-down dive and crashed into a forested area in Levinskaya Verkhoshizhemsky, located roughly 70 km southwest of Kirov. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft, resulting in 10 fatalities.
Findings
Investigations determined that the collision occurred because both crews failed to adhere to visual flight rules. Additional contributing factors identified in the investigation included inadequate assessment of weather conditions by operations personnel, as well as deficiencies in flight preparation and organizational procedures.