Accident Overview
A cargo aircraft operating a flight from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Kiev with intermediate stops in Lensk and Omsk crashed shortly after takeoff. The aircraft carried seven passengers, including technicians, six crew members, and a load of fish. All 13 occupants were killed.
Flight Details
The rotation was performed at night at a speed of 225 km/h. The landing gear was raised immediately. The initial climb rate was 6 meters per second. After passing the runway end at a height of 70 meters, the crew selected the flaps up.
Accident Sequence
Following the flap retraction, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent. It struck trees approximately 22 meters high at a speed of 380 km/h. The impact occurred 3,903 meters past the runway end and 400 meters to the left of the extended centerline. The aircraft was destroyed in a huge explosion.
Probable Cause
According to the official findings, the probable cause was a wrong takeoff configuration by the crew, who neglected several published procedures. Contributing factors reported include the aircraft weight being 7.5 tons above maximum takeoff weight, lack of crew training, premature retraction of flaps during initial climb, and insufficient rate of climb and climbing speed.