What happened
During a nighttime approach to Dembidolo, an aircraft encountered heavy stratus cloud cover. While navigating the approach, the crew did not recognize that the plane had descended to an insufficient altitude. As the aircraft approached mountainous terrain, the crew attempted to climb by increasing engine power. However, this maneuver resulted in an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude and struck hilly ground located a short distance from the airfield.
Findings
- The flight was operating under night conditions with low visibility due to stratus clouds.
- The crew failed to maintain the required altitude during the approach phase.
- The aircraft entered a stall following an attempt to increase climb performance near terrain.
- There were 20 injuries reported among the occupants, with no fatalities recorded.
- The aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.