What happened
A cargo flight departed Moscow-Domodedovo at 18:38LT, bound for Baku via Lviv. The aircraft was transporting various goods, including metallic hoses, with a total payload of 400 kilograms. During the initial climb to approximately 3,600 meters, the crew identified irregularities in the fuel system, specifically a minor drop in pressure within the left engine'<0xC2><0xA0>s supply line. Following a visual inspection that revealed no immediate issues, the flight continued.
As the aircraft reached an altitude of roughly 7,200 meters, the crew observed a significant rise in fuel consumption alongside a further decline in system pressure. Upon identifying a leak and attempting to shut down the left engine, a fire ignited within the lower portion of the engine nacelle. At 19:14LT, the captain notified Air Traffic Control of the engine failure and received clearance to return to Domodedovo. Shortly after, the pilot reported the active fire and requested vectors to the nearest airfield, Tula-Klokovo.
During the emergency, the left engine detached from the aircraft due to the intensity of the flames. Realizing that reaching Tula was no longer feasible, the pilot began an emergency descent into an open field at a rate of 100 meters per second. While flying through clouds at an altitude of 300 meters, the pilot-in-command experienced spatial disorientation. This resulted in the aircraft pitching down at an 80° angle and striking a wooded area near Sosensky at 612 km/h. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, resulting in five fatalities.
Findings
Investigation into the accident determined that a broken fuel line caused a leak that ignited upon contact with high-temperature components, leading to the engine fire and subsequent detachment. Several human factors contributed to the disaster:
- The crew did not identify the fuel leak in a timely manner.
- The flight was not aborted or returned to the departure airport early enough.
- The crew failed to shut off the fuel supply system before the fire intensified.
- Emergency procedures were not followed correctly.
- The pilot lost control of the aircraft following spatial disorientation.