What happened
The flight originated at Moscow-Khodynka Airport with a destination of Kuybyshev. The aircraft was transporting four crew members and twenty passengers as part of an evacuation operation for GAZ n°1. During the journey, the crew faced deteriorating meteorological conditions characterized by low cloud cover, fog, and freezing drizzle.
Approximately 25 kilometers east of Kuznetsk, the pilot maneuvered the plane in circles over a forest situated on a hill rising to 340 meters near Lake Beloye. Following these maneuvers, the aircraft crashed near the settlement of Golodyayevka, which is now known as Dubrovka. The impact resulted in the fatalities of all 24 occupants on board.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that the specific cause of the accident could not be established. No definitive technical or human error factors were identified to explain why the aircraft crashed after circling over the terrain.