Incident Summary
A flight originating from Chita with an intermediate stop in Irkutsk was en route to Bratsk. While descending to Bratsk Airport, the crew received instructions to divert to Zheleznogorsk-Ilimski Airport because weather conditions at Bratsk were below minimums. Shortly thereafter, for reasons not specified in the investigation, the crew decided to return to Bratsk. The aircraft subsequently exhausted its fuel supply, resulting in a flameout of the left engine.
Emergency Landing
Facing an engine failure, the crew attempted an emergency landing on the iced surface of Tareva Bay, located on the north shore of the Bratsk Reservoir. The landing site was approximately 40 km southwest of Vidim. The aircraft came to rest on the frozen bay, sustaining damage that rendered it beyond economical repair.
Crew and Injuries
All six crew members aboard the flight escaped the incident with minor injuries. No further details on the nature of their injuries were provided in the source.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion, which led to the loss of power in the left engine.