What happened
On the afternoon of the incident, an aircraft departed from Ayanka Airstrip bound for Tilichiki. The flight was operated with three crew members and one passenger, while also transporting ten empty fuel barrels. Approximately sixteen minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 1,800 meters under favorable weather conditions, the pilot notified air traffic control regarding a noticeable smell of fuel inside the cabin. Consequently, the decision was made to abort the mission and return to the departure airfield.
Six minutes after reporting the odor, the engine experienced a drop in fuel pressure. Shortly thereafter, an engine fire ignited. In an attempt to manage the emergency, the crew descended to a lower altitude to perform an emergency landing. However, when the aircraft reached 400 meters, it pitched downward at a 60-degree angle and struck a small icy lake situated roughly 20 km southeast of Ayanka. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and four fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified an unidentified fuel leak as the primary factor leading to the engine fire. While the crew's choice to return to the airstrip immediately after detecting the fuel odor was deemed appropriate, the severity of the resulting fire prevented the successful completion of the emergency landing procedure.