What happened
During a nighttime flight traveling from Irkutly to Chita, the flight crew experienced a loss of situational awareness regarding their position. The crew attempted to contact Air Traffic Control (ATC) for navigational assistance, but these requests were not successfully addressed. As a result of this disorientation, the aircraft drifted south of its intended flight path.
As the flight progressed, the aircraft ran out of fuel, necessitating an emergency landing. After three failed attempts to land safely, the captain initiated a fourth attempt. During this final approach at an altitude of approximately 900 meters, the aircraft type struck trees and traveled roughly 340 meters through a dense forest before coming to a complete stop. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the plane. Of the 28 people on board, there were 27 fatalities and one passenger sustained serious injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the crew did not follow the established flight plan or adhere to standard operating procedures. A primary contributing factor was the improper use of the automatic direction finder, which led to a failure in maintaining the correct route. The investigation also noted that the crew's lack of situational awareness prevented them from taking necessary corrective actions and that the assistance provided by ATC was inadequate for resolving the navigational discrepancy.