What happened
In July, an aircraft operated by the Russian Navy was deployed to southeastern Turkey to support the Turkish General Directorate of Forestry in combating active forest fires. The mission involved aerial water drops to aid in fire suppression efforts.
During the operation, the crew attempted to increase the aircraft's altitude following a water drop. During this maneuver, the aircraft struck a mountain slope, which led to a post-impact fire. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were 8 fatalities among the crew, consisting of five Russian and three Turkish personnel.
Findings
- The aircraft impacted terrain while the crew was attempting to gain altitude after completing a water drop sequence.