What happened
During the climb to 2,000 meters following departure from Elista Airport, the flight crew notified air traffic control of a fire that had broken out within the cargo area. In response to the emergency, the crew was authorized to perform an immediate return to the airfield.
While the crew successfully suppressed the flames, the fire caused significant damage to the aircraft's systems, specifically severing multiple hydraulic lines. This damage resulted in a loss of control over certain flight surfaces and landing gear functions; the crew found it impossible to deploy the undercarriage, and the flaps could only be set to a 10-degree position.
Due to the inability to extend the landing gear, the aircraft type performed a belly landing on the runway. The plane slid for several dozen meters along the pavement before coming to a complete stop. There were no injuries among the 24 occupants on board, though the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
- A fire in the cargo compartment led to the severing of hydraulic lines.
- The loss of hydraulic pressure prevented the deployment of the landing gear and limited flap extension capabilities.