Incident
During an en route flight from Kirensk to Olyokminsk, the left engine caught fire. The captain initiated a descent to reduce altitude, but the flames spread to the wing and entered the cabin through the heating system. While descending through 2,000 meters, the left engine separated from the aircraft. The aircraft subsequently crash landed in a field located 29 kilometers southwest of Vitim and came to rest in flames.
Evacuation and Casualties
All four crew members and six passengers were able to escape the aircraft. However, ten passengers were killed, apparently due to smoke intoxication. The source notes that the deceased were women and children.
Investigation
The official investigation could not determine the exact cause of the in-flight fire on the left engine with certainty. It was not ruled out that the fire resulted from a failure in a fuel line connection. Contributory factors were identified: the cabin crew did not use the fire extinguisher and failed to close the heating system valve, which expedited the fire's spread into the cabin; the captain's decision to perform a steep descent also contributed to the fire's propagation; and the entire crew failed to provide appropriate instructions to passengers before and after the accident and did not assist in a safe evacuation, which contributed to the deaths of ten women and children.