Incident Overview
An aircraft on a reconnaissance mission for pro-federalist militants over eastern Ukraine was struck by a surface-to-air missile while overflying the region of Slavyansk. The missile struck the right engine, which caught fire. The aircraft subsequently entered a dive and crashed in an open field in Drobyshevo, between the villages of Krasny Liman and Nikolayevka.
Sequence of Events
The crew was en route to east Ukraine to conduct reconnaissance on pro-federalist militant positions. While overflying Slavyansk, the aircraft was hit by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) that impacted the right engine, causing it to catch fire. Three crew members were able to bail out and were later found alive but injured. The aircraft, now out of control, entered a dive and crashed in an open field.
Aftermath
The crash site was located in Drobyshevo, between the villages of Krasny Liman and Nikolayevka. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fire. All five occupants were killed.
Investigation
The official investigation determined that the probable cause was the aircraft being shot down.